Pralines
Sugar, brown sugar, cream, and butter cooked to soft-ball stage, then beaten just until the glossy sheen begins to fade before pecans are folded in and the candy is spooned into rounds. French Ursuline nuns brought the original hard almond praline to 1720s New Orleans, where almonds were scarce but pecans were native and abundant; African-American cooks in Creole households refined the swap into a softer, creamier pecan confection, and by the 1800s, African-American "praline women" had become iconic street vendors around Jackson Square.
DessertVegetarian
⚠ Contains: Dairy, Tree Nut. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- Pinch of salt
- 2 cups pecan halves
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Steps
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a heavy saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cream, butter, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
- Attach a candy thermometer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 234-240F, soft-ball stage, about 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the pecans and vanilla.
- Beat the mixture with a wooden spoon for 2-4 minutes until it thickens slightly and just starts to lose its glossy sheen.
- Working quickly, drop spoonfuls onto the parchment paper; they will spread into rounds.
- Let cool completely, about 30 minutes, until firm before serving.