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Butter pecan fudge is a decadent fusion of rich buttery goodness, toasted pecans, and creamy sweetness that melts seamlessly on the palate. This easy fudge recipe perfectly marries the deep, nutty flavor of roasted pecans with the velvety texture of classic fudge. Whether you’re relishing it during the holidays, gifting it to a loved one, or simply satisfying a sweet craving, this fudge promises a luxurious treat bound to become a favorite.
Butter Pecan Fudge Recipe
Homemade fudge offers a taste authenticity store-bought versions often lack, letting you truly appreciate the quality of ingredients and the magic of handcrafted confections. It’s an ideal way to make special occasions even more memorable or lend an ordinary day a sweetness.
Despite its gourmet feel, this butter pecan fudge is easy to prepare. Even novice bakers can achieve perfection with just a handful of ingredients and minimal equipment. The result is consistently divine, ensuring every bite offers a melt-in-the-mouth experience worth savoring.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven for about 5 minutes or until you can smell the pecans. You can also toast them in a frying pan over medium heat.
While the pecans toast, grease an8 x 8 baking panwith butter and set aside. You can line it with parchment if you like.
Combine butter, white sugar, brown sugar, whipping cream, and salt in a medium size pot. Heat the mixture over medium heat until it begins to boil, and the bubbles do not disappear when you mix them. It will only take a few minutes to come to a full boil.
Set a time for 5 minutes and stir the mixture constantly while it boils. Once the 5 minutes are up, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Stir in pecans.
Pour the fudge into your prepared pan. Allow fudge to cool until room temperature before cutting, but preferably 24 hours.
The fudge will be set once it is cooled to room temperature, but I like to give it 24 hours to firm up.
Yield: 1 8x8 pan of fudge
Butter pecan fudge is a decadent fusion of rich buttery goodness, toasted pecans, and creamy sweetness that melts seamlessly on the palate.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Dash of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup of pecans
Instructions
Pace the pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven for about 5 minutes or until you can smell the pecans. You can also toast them in a frying pan over medium heat.
Measure out powdered sugar into a medium bowl and set aside.
Combine butter, white sugar, brown sugar, whipping cream, and salt in a medium-sized pot. Heat the mixture over medium heat until it begins to boil, and the bubbles do not disappear when you mix them. It will only take a few minutes to come to a full boil.
Set a time for 5 minutes and stir the mixture constantly while it boils.
Once the 5 minutes are up, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Stir in pecans.
Pour the fudge into your prepared pan. Allow fudge to cool until room temperature before cutting, but preferably 24 hours.
After letting the fudge cool, it's time to beat it. It is important to stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture starts to thicken and its surface starts to look dull or matte. Now is the time to stop beating and pour the fudge into a mould.
Unsalted Butter: We use just a little bit of butter which adds extra richness and creates a smooth and creamy fudge. Salt: While some homemade fudge recipes do not call for salt, I find it essential for balancing out the sweetness of the condensed milk.
The key to successful, nongrainy fudge is in the cooling, not the cooking. The recipe calls for heating the ingredients to the soft-ball stage, or 234° F, then allowing it to cool undisturbed to approximately 110° F.
You have to control two temperatures to make successful fudge: the cooking temperature AND the temperature at which the mixture cools before stirring to make it crystallize. Confectionery experiments have shown that the ideal cooking temperature for fudge is around 114 to 115 °C (237 to 239 °F).
Once the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has come to a boil, do not stir it. If you do, the sugar can crystallize, giving your fudge a gritty texture. As you beat the fudge, pay attention to color and texture. Once the fudge loses its sheen and thickens, put down your spoon.
Stir the ingredients to dissolve the sugar until the mixture comes to a boil. If your recipe uses milk, stirring will keep the mixture from curdling. But once it reaches about 236–238 degrees F/113–114 degrees C (the "soft-ball" stage), do not stir it or even shake the pan.
The fudge is then beaten as this makes the fudge slightly crumbly rather than chewy. Beating the mixture encourages the formation of small sugar crystals, which leads to the crumbly texture. The crystals may not be noticeable in themselves but the fudge mixture will thicken and turn from shiny to matte in appearance.
Both salted butter and unsalted butter can be used interchangeably in any recipe, but if the recipe calls specifically for unsalted butter, it's probably because the recipe has been tested with it and is preferred for that particular recipe.
At its simplest, fudge is a dense, soft candy, often made with sugar and dairy products like butter and milk. Nowadays, fudge is usually flavored with chocolate, but you can utilize pretty much any flavor, such as peanut butter, pumpkin, even birthday cake.
Fudge is basically an emulsion between sugar, butter and milk. If the butter gets too hot, it can separate, causing the fudge to become oily on top. This is easy to prevent by monitoring the temperature with a candy thermometer, but separated fudge can also be fixed.
If it's overcooked (resulting in grainy fudge) or undercooked (resulting in poor setting) all you really need to do is add a bit of cream, reheat the fudge to the target temperature, and let it set again.
The main reason is that your Fudge has not reached the optimum temperature. If your mixture only reaches 110 or 112 degrees Celsius it will always be soft. That's why we recommend investing in a sugar thermometer.
Cream of tartar is used in caramel sauces and fudge to help prevent the sugar from crystallizing while cooking. It also prevents cooling sugars from forming brittle crystals, this is why it's the secret ingredient in snickerdoodles!
The main reason is that your Fudge has not reached the optimum temperature. If your mixture only reaches 110 or 112 degrees Celsius it will always be soft. That's why we recommend investing in a sugar thermometer. Another reason your Fudge is not setting is that the ratio of liquid to sugar is too high.
If the sugar crystals are not properly dissolved before cooling, they can create a gritty texture. To avoid this, ensure that you stir the fudge mixture consistently and remove any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan using a wet pastry brush.
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