One of the most loved nuts, pecans, are an absolute treat, whichever way you eat them. From munching on roasted pecans to devouring a slice of sweet and crumbly pecan pie, eating anything with pecans is an absolute bliss. While pecan pie is a classic desert to enjoy the sweet nutty flavor and crunchy texture of the nut, you cannot have a pecan pie every time you wish for it. If you have a sweet tooth and love pecans, then pecan pralines are the real treat for you.
What are Pecan Pralines?
Pecan pralines are candies made with pecans and brown sugar. Praline pecans are a classic Southern recipe but that’s not where they originated from.
Pralines are homemade candies with sugar and nuts. They originated in France, where their preparation involved coating almonds in sugar. Praline made its way to America when the French settled in Louisiana. It ingredients gradually changed with the local ones. Soon the pecan pralines became popular and now many households enjoy this dish during the holiday season. The modern recipe of pecan praline has an addition of heavy cream to add more flavor.
How to Make Pecan Praline
Classic pecan praline is very quick to make. Here is a recipe for making pecan pralines.
Ingredients:
2 cups pecans roasted
1 ½ cup granulated white sugar
1 ½ cup packed brown sugar
3 tbsp molasses or dark corn syrup
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Method: 1. Line a parchment paper or a baking sheet on a tray and grease it with butter or olive oil.
2. Take a heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir in granulated sugar, brown sugar, and molasses. Add cream and keep stirring until all the sugar dissolves.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for another five minutes until the mixture acquires candy-like consistency. The best way to check is to use a candy thermometer for the temperature to reach 240 ‘F. If you do not have a candy thermometer, then drop a spoonful of mixture into cold water. If the mixture forms into a soft ball, your candy is ready to proceed. Be very careful at this stage as the mixture is extremely hot and can cause a severe burn if accidentally dropped or touched.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in butter, toasted pecans, vanilla and salt. Stir vigorously for 2-3 minutes until the mixture thickens.
5. Quickly add heaped spoonfuls of the mixture onto the lined tray. Let the pecan pralines cool completely and store in an airtight container afterward.
Variety of Pecan Praline
You will find many different recipes for pecan pralines. Pecan pralines have also evolved into innovative recipes. The addition of a little flour and butter makes pecan praline cookies, which is a very innovative way to have pecan pralines for the love of cookies. Pecan pralines are also topped with chocolate sauce, whipped cream and sprinkles to make them look more fancy and festive.
