Penuche Fudge

During childhood visits to my grandparents, I learned how to make fudge from my grandmother, famous for her peanut butter fudge and chocolate peanut butter fudge. As she made batch after perfect batch, I'd watch her on a kitchen stool, a necessary tool for both of us in her kitchen despite our age gap.

My favorite fudge was penuche because the brown sugar agreed with my insatiable sweet tooth. But my grandmother mostly stuck to the flavors she was known for, so the highlight of the Cumberland Fair each year was the fudge counter, located just after the competition displays of homemade jam, preserves, and pickles. Every year, I begged to stop there to get a big piece of penuche to bring home. 

What Is Penuche?

Penuche is a popular candy in New England, where I grew up, and in the South, where it’s also known as praline fudge or brown sugar fudge candy. It is technically not fudge because of its brown sugar instead of white sugar. 

Penuche relies almost entirely on brown sugar for its butterscotch, molasses flavor. A small amount of vanilla extract adds some depth, but never so much vanilla as to make the candy vanilla flavored.

The History of Penuche

Penuche doesn’t have a clear origin or history. The name and flavor suggest it might be related to panocha, which has other names like as panela, rapadura, or piloncillo. Panocha is an unrefined sugar made from sugarcane juice cooked down and molded into bars or tablets that can be broken into pieces and eaten as is or used as an ingredient for desserts. This form of sugar was easy to transport and kept well for long sea journeys.

If penuche is derived from, or named after, panocha, it could explain penuche’s connection to New England and the South. Portuguese immigrants, largely from the Azores Islands and Madeira, both sugarcane-production areas, may have introduced it to New England. And in the South, it would have been introduced through Latin America. 

How To Make Smooth and Creamy Penuche

Fudge gets its irresistible creamy texture from how it is cooked, cooled, and stirred to carefully control sugar crystallization. The method promotes crystallization at just the right moment and ensures the crystals are as fine as possible for a smooth texture. It makes sense then that most problems arise from a temperature or stirring issue.

Penuche is made by first cooking milk, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and butter on the stove until it reaches the soft ball stage (235 to 240°F). While you should stir to combine the ingredients in the beginning, it's important not to once it boils, or large sugar crystals may form, making the fudge grainy. Heating the fudge past 240°F will reduce the moisture content too much, also allowing large crystals to form. 

After cooking, the fudge needs to cool before stirring and transferring to the mold. The majority of recipes recommend waiting until the fudge has cooled to 110°F before stirring. However, I found that cooling the fudge to 130°F gave me more of a margin while stirring, especially when I tried adding toasted pecans. The downside is that you may tire your arm from the increased mixing time.

Tips and Troubleshooting

It can take some time to get a feel for the technique and reliably gauge how the penuche is progressing. But if you follow these tips, you’ll be rewarded with extra smooth and creamy penuche.

• Use a thermometer. It is possible to check if the penuche is ready by dropping a small spoonful in cold water to see if it has reached the soft ball stage. Nothing beats the accuracy and ease of a thermometer.
• While cooking, stir only in the beginning to dissolve the sugar and incorporate the butter. Do not stir during cooking or after, until the mixture has cooled to 130°F or below. 
• After it has cooled and you stir the penuche, once you notice a change in the appearance and consistency—it's no longer shiny and thicker—act quickly. Otherwise, it may set in the saucepan, making it difficult to spread out in the mold.
• If you over-stir or overcook the penuche, it will turn grainy and crumbly. If this does happen, check out the next tip. Or keep the fudge crumbles for an indulgent topping on a scoop of ice cream.
• If the penuche doesn't turn out right the first time, it is possible to start over (really, I tried). Place the fudge back in the saucepan over low heat with 1/4 cup of milk. Once the mixture is smooth and liquid again, you can increase the heat to medium-low and start from step 2.

If You Add Nuts, Do It Strategically

I prefer plain penuche in all its creamy brown sugar glory. Toasted nuts, especially pecans or walnuts, add a crunchy complement to the butterscotch flavor. Walnuts seem to be more popular here in New England, but pecans reign supreme in the South.

Stir 1 cup of toasted chopped pecans or walnuts into the penuche as soon as the fudge has begun to thicken and turn matte and right before pouring it into the mold. The nuts will cool the fudge faster, possibly causing it to harden and set before you've filled the mold. To prevent this, I like to heat them in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds before adding them in. Or add the nuts after pouring the fudge into the mold, pressing them into the top before it sets.

Storage

Store the sliced fudge in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. To prevent the pieces from sticking together, add a sheet of wax paper between layers in the container.

Freezing 

You can also freeze penuche for up to 3 months. After it has set completely, wrap the penuche in a layer of plastic wrap, then in a layer of aluminum foil. Place the wrapped fudge in a freezer bag or an airtight container, then freeze. Thaw the penuche in the refrigerator for about 3 hours before serving.

More Old-Fashioned Candy Recipes

• Easy Fantasy Fudge
• Pecan Pralines
• Peanut Butter Buckeyes
• Turkish Delight
• English Toffee