Well Tuesday is Fat Tuesday and each year Chris and i have the tradition of making gumbo. Well actually i make the gumbo and this year i am gonna try my hand at a southern sweet treat known as the praline. We had the opportunity to go to a cooking school in New Orleans, and the chef there talked about the difference between a praline and a praylean. Apparently a “praline” is a tasty sweet treat with pecans and a “praylean” is when you are lost and drunk in New Orleans and you can’t remember where your hotel is so you lean up against a building and as your are sinking down you pray you can remember where it is. Well anyway this year i have requested my mother to help me since she is the candy master and this is the recipe we have decided to go with. This recipe comes from backtomysouthernroots.com
Enjoy!
Praline Pecans
Ingredients
- 1-1/4 cups white granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cups pecan halves
Instructions
- Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, and heavy cream to a saucepan on medium-high to high. Stir until well blended.
- Place the thermometer in the saucepan, being careful not to allow it to touch the saucepan.
- Stir often.
- Bring the ingredients to a boil and bring the temperature to 234-degrees on the thermometer.
- Once the temperature reaches 234-degrees, remove the saucepan from the heat and add the butter and vanilla extract. Stir until the butter is melted.
- Next, add the pecans and stir until coated.
- Scoop the pralines out onto the greased tinfoil and allow to cool for a few minutes. The pralines will continue to harden over the next few hours.
