Lesson #1 – these are pronounced ‘praw-leens’ and got their humble beginnings in Louisiana ( Marshal Luplesis-Praslin,1598-1695) from his butler, who had a recipe for almonds coated in sugar, used as a digestive aid. Later, when Louisiana was settled by the French colonists, they changed to pecans.
There are many recipes for this confection and the Creoles take great pains to find perfection. The recipes are well kept secrets and are handed down generation to generation.
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup milk
- 6 tbsp. butter
- 1 1/2 cups roasted pecans (pronounced pee-cons)*
- 1 tsp. good quality vanilla
Combine all the ingredients and bring to the softball stage (238-240 degrees) stirring constantly. Remove from the heat.
Continue stirring until the mixture thickens (again – constantly stirring), becomes creamy and cloudy and the pecans stay suspended in the mixture. Spoon out on buttered waxed paper or parchment paper. When using waxed paper, be sure to have a newspaper underneath as the hot wax will transfer to whatever is underneath.
If you wish to make a praline sauce, simply add 1/2 cup of corn syrup to the mixture. You can change the flavour to chocolate, brandy, coffee, etc.)
This recipe will make 1-50 pralines, depending on size.
Just ask me…..they are quite the treat!
* our instructor said that pee-cans were something you needed in the middle of the night, so pronounce it correctly….please! too funny.
