I've been in the candy making mood ever since I bought the new candy thermometer a few weeks back. And as I was thumbing through my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook the other day, I found this recipe for white fudge. Fudge congers up images in my mind of rich, dark chocolate. So that name for this recipe would be misleading. I'm calling it panuche because that sounds more interesting, although it isn't technically correct. From what I can gather, true panuche is made with brown sugar, while this version is made with white sugar.
The big difference in the original recipe and my version is the addition of cranberries and pecans. Theirs calls for dried cherries, which probably taste just fine. But for this season, nothing sounded as good to me as dried cranberries. And pecans, of course.
This makes a rich, delicious "fudge." Really it is super simple. The candy thermometer takes all the guesswork out of making candy. You just dump the ingredients together and plan to stand for a while stirring. Really, that is all there is to it.
It comes to a boil rather quickly, but it takes a few minutes, maybe ten more, to come to the "soft ball" stage, which is clearly marked on the thermometer. You let it sit and come to almost room temperature before adding in the butter and vanilla. Then, stir vigorously until it loses its gloss.
My upper arms got quite a workout trying to get this concoction to lose its gloss. In the end, it never really did. I went ahead and stirred in the pecans and cranberries anyway, poured it into the pan, and popped it into the fridge while we went on our merry way to finish up some last minute Christmas shopping.
A couple hours later, I came home to perfectly cooled and set-up fudge. Lacy said I had to post this one. She basically concluded that it would be criminal not to.
It's that good.
Are you finished with your shopping? Are your gifts all wrapped? Are your children bursting at the seams like mine?
We are so excited to celebrate our Lord's birth in just a few days and reflect on the most beautiful gift ever given to mankind, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Cranberry Pecan Panuche
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup light cream
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup broken pecans
Butter sides of a heavy 2-quart saucepan. In it combine sugar, milk, cream, corn syrup, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, till sugar dissolves and mixture boils. Cook to soft ball stage (238 degrees). Immediately remover from heat; cool to lukewarm (110 degrees) without stirring. Add butter and vanilla. Beat vigorously till fudge stiffens and loses its gloss. Quickly stir in cranberries and pecans.
Spread in buttered 8X8" pan. Score while warm; cut when firm.
May your Christmas be merry and bright...
...and sweet.
Love,
1 comment:
Wish I had some! I'm too lazy to make candy! Aunt Emily and I once took a short-cut making Divinity and used my mixer------mistake! We nearly burned it out! G~Mama
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