Penuche facts for kids

Penuche (pronounced "peh-NOO-chee") is a yummy candy that's a lot like fudge. It's made from brown sugar, butter, and milk. The only flavor added is usually vanilla. Penuche often has a light tan color, and it's usually lighter in color than regular fudge.

Its special taste comes from the caramelization of the brown sugar. This means the sugar is heated until it turns into a rich, caramel-like flavor. People often add nuts, especially pecans, to penuche to give it a nice crunch. Penuche is mostly found in certain parts of the United States, like New England and some areas in the Southern United States. In the South, it might be called "creamy praline fudge" or "brown sugar fudge candy."

The History of Penuche

Penuche is thought to have come from the word panocha, which is a Spanish word for 'raw sugar'. This candy became popular in New England thanks to Portuguese families. They lived in places like New Bedford, Massachusetts, and Essex, Connecticut, during the time when whaling was a big industry (from the mid-1700s to the late 1800s).

Penuche isn't just a candy! It can also be used as a special flavor for boiled icing. In Hawaii, people sometimes call it panocha or panuche. It was once a common topping for prune cake there.

How Penuche is Made

Penuche is part of the fudge family because it's made in a very similar way. Here's how it generally works:

• First, a mix of fat (like butter) and sugar is heated. It needs to reach a temperature called the "soft ball stage," which is about 236°F (113°C). At this stage, if you drop a bit of the hot mixture into cold water, it forms a soft, flexible ball.
• Next, the mixture is allowed to cool down without being stirred. It cools until it's lukewarm, around 110°F (43°C).
• Then, flavors (like vanilla) are added. The mixture is beaten until it becomes thick and creamy.
• Finally, the thick mixture is poured into a pan. Once it cools down completely, it's cut into small, bite-sized pieces.

Most traditional fudges follow these steps. What makes penuche special is that it uses brown sugar instead of white sugar. This gives it its unique caramel-like taste.

Penuche Variations

In recent years, some people in New England have started adding maple syrup to their penuche fudge recipes. They might call it "maple syrup penuche fudge," or sometimes they just call it penuche.

There's also a treat called "no-bake penuche drop cookies." These cookies are made with brown sugar, milk, butter, oats, and nuts, and you don't even need an oven to make them!

Other candies around the world are quite similar to penuche. For example, Sucre à la Crème (which means 'cream sugar') is a candy from Québec, Canada, often made during winter holidays. Another similar treat is called Tablet, which comes from Scotland. It's also made with brown sugar and dairy, but it's usually a bit more crumbly.