Tianuchki are soft candies of Russian origin. They are made of milk, cream or smetana and sugar cooked together and flavoured with vanilla.

Depending on its thickness, tianuchka can also be used as dessert sauce or cake filling or icing.

200 ml cream
100 ml sugar
100 ml soft brown sugar (firmly packed)
½ vanilla bean

Place the ingredients in a thick-bottomed saucepan. Stirring continually, bring the mixture to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking, stirring continually, until the sauce is dark honey-coloured and thickened, for about 10 - 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean.

Serve the sauce warm or cold to top ice cream, fresh fruit or berries, cakes, tarts etc. If the sauce gets too stiff after it has cooled down, just slowly and gently reheat it. If necessary, dilute it by adding some cream.

See a recipe for traditional Finnish dessert, cranberries with tianuchka-sauce.

Recipe source: traditional Russian and Finnish recipe.