Wednesday, September 24, 2014

New Orlean's Style Pralines...one of my favorites! I was born and raised in Louisiana and this has always been one of my favorite candies! Now, I must tell you: they are VERY sweet and rich! I hope you love them as much as I do! Enjoy :)


PRALINES                

1 ½ cups sugar

¾ cup dark brown sugar

½ cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 tablespoons real butter

1 ½ cup pecans, rough chopped

Lay out wax paper and a tablespoon on your countertop before getting started on the pralines.  Next, combine all the ingredients in a 4 quart saucepan.  Heat over low heat, stirring often until butter is melted and sugars are dissolved.  Bring to a boil then turn the heat down to medium high –letting the mixture continue to boil for exactly 3 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.  It will bubble up pretty high, so never leave it even just for a second.  After 3 minutes of boiling and stirring, remove the pot from the heat and stir constantly for 2 minutes.  It will start to thicken.  Now (using a tablespoon that you would eat soup with) drop onto the wax paper, working quickly.  Let them sit for 10 to 15 minutes.  Store in an airtight container.  This recipe makes 12-14 pralines.  These are delicious by themselves or broken over vanilla ice cream J  Caution:  Be very careful when making these as the candy mixture becomes scalding hot and be mindful of the weather.   Really humid days can make these difficult to set. 

28 comments:

  1. I think I over cooked because mine came out like sugar sand. Can you confirm that?

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    1. I didn't see an answer so I thought I would reply yes they overcooked.

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  2. Mine did too.... It's still amazing though

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  3. Mine also grainy and I cooked the three minutes. Husband still loved them. He’s from KY and said this is how they’re supposed to be. But I have made other recipes and they are creamier. But had a hard time getting those to set up.

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    1. There are two types of pralines. I love the creamy kind.

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    2. I love all cooked candy!
      The constant stirring causes the grainy candy… and I love that, too!

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  4. Are you able to double this recipe or just make single batches?

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  5. I grea up in NO and sold pralines to make extra money, lol. I have not yet found success with a recipe that does not call for either a soft ball test or a soft-ball reading on a candy thermometer. This is a traditional listing of ingredients, though, so check other praline recipes for doneness tests and good luck! (You can use the doneness tests from old-fashioned fudge, btw. If that is kind of scary - it can be intimidating till you've made a bunch of batches and get a 'feel' for it - try other praline recipes that are more forgiving. Google 'easy' or 'never-fail' pralines. HTH!

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    1. The 'boil for x minutes' recipes leave a lot of room for variation that a candy thermometer or soft ball test does not. Check Youtube videos to check soft ball tests to get more comfortable with using that method. Good luck!

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  6. I found using a stainless steal pan when melting sugar works best. Using a non-stick pans can cause graininess.

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  7. Do These Have Chocolate In Them ?

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  8. I have found that the addition of 1 tablespoon of Karo syrup and a candy thermometer or soft boil test provides a creamy praline rather than a grainy praline.

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  9. Yes being from Louisiana we make these all of the time. I know the water test but if cooked on the medium heat I have timed it many times. 30 minutes of cooking it should be the time but I would still test

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  10. I make them several times a day during the winter time for my business. I use the water test, and I use can milk. Then my method is when they get ready stir "'til your arm falls off!" and you can hear the change in the product and then pour them out quickly because they will get hard quickly.

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  11. Use a stick of butter and pralines will come out thinner but the taste will be more buttery and awesome. Throw away any recipes that use less than 6 TBsp Butter as all they do is waste good pecans!!!

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  12. At what point do you add the pecans?

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  13. I make mine with a can of condensed milk almost a stick of butter vanilla ..cook and stir till thick add pecans then squeeze 2 are 3 drops of lemon juice just before you pour on wax paper .lemon juice keeps candy from being chewy .hope you like my recipe enjoy! :)

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    1. What does your can if condensed milk replace? Sugar? Milk? Would love to know the exact ingredients to compare.

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  14. I guess I was lucky, but these were sublime! I followed the instructions, and they're great. Thank you for an easy recipe!

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  15. They are delicious I always wanted to learn how to do this recipe Mmmmmmm

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  16. I add maple flavoring - just a small amount. Tastes like the ones from St. Augustine.

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  17. My mother made..she is louisiana...lot of sugar, no butter, just stir until it begins to thicken. Drop a dab of vanilla extract n pecans and can do this over heat..my my took a paper bag and wiped it down with butter to separate easy work. I made it as a young eight year old kid when my mother was gone

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  18. It messed up my publish. Sugar and milk to stir first..when that begins to thicken drop a touch of vanilla just a touch continue to stir then stir in the pecans and separate them

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