Daddy and Mama used to make these at Christmas. Best made on a dry day, they are a delicious New Orleans and Deep-South favorite. Like much of the Gulf Coast and Louisiana cuisine, praline candy came to this area via French settlers in the early 1700s. In France, the settlers made this candy with almonds, Since those weren't growing along the Gulf Coast, they switched to the native pecans that were available.
Just so you know: Pecans are pronounced 'puh-cahns, not pea-cans'. Pralines are pronounced 'praw-leens', not 'pray-leens'.
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Makes 12 four-inch pralines.
1 cup sugar 2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar 1/4 cup light corn syrup 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 and 1/4 cups milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 and 1/2 cups pecans (you can use halves, but I like broken pieces) |
- Combine all sugar, corn syrup, salt, and milk in a heavy saucepan. Brink to a boil and cook, WITHOUT stirring, until 236 degrees on a candy thermometer OR until a little of the mixture dropped into cold water forms a soft ball.
- Remove from heat and let stand until lukewarm. Stir in vanilla and pecans and beat with a spoon until the mixture begins to thicken and loses its glass.
- Drop from tablespoon unto wax paper and spread a little bit to form patties about 4 inches in diameter. If you want to put a pecan half on top, now's the time to do it!
- Let stand until firm.
