Classic Pecan Pralines
Submitted by tjbailey
Classic pecan pralines, the New Orleans candy with toasted pecans suspended in a creamy brown sugar candy. Six ingredients, no nuts skipped, classic Cajun holiday treat.
YIELD
24 servingsPREP
5 minCOOK
25 minREADY
40 minPecan pralines are pure Louisiana sugar craft, a French candy that crossed the Atlantic, picked up pecans in the bayou, and stayed for good. The base is sugar, light corn syrup, and water cooked to the soft-ball stage, then beaten with butter and vanilla until it loses its shine and turns creamy enough to drop into glossy mounds.
The corn syrup keeps the sugar from crystallizing while it boils. The whipping at the end is what turns smooth syrup into that signature opaque, fudgy texture.
Pro Tips
- A candy thermometer is a must. The window between soft-ball (240°F / 116°C) and crunchy is narrow.
- Cook on a dry day if you can. Humidity makes pralines weep and stay sticky.
- Stir constantly while the sugar dissolves, then let it boil mostly undisturbed. Stirring during the boil triggers crystallization.
- Beat the mixture only after it cools to roughly 140°F (60°C). Whip it too hot and it stays runny; too cool and it seizes in the pot.
- Work fast once you start dropping. The candy sets within seconds of the right consistency.
Variations
- Toast the pecans for 8 minutes before adding for deeper, nuttier flavor.
- Swap half the white sugar for brown sugar for a darker, molasses-tinged praline.
- Add a pinch of flaky sea salt on top before they harden for a sweet-salty finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat the sugar, syrup, water, and pecans in a heavy saucepan until the sugar is dissolved.
Bring the mixture to the boil, stirring occasionally, until it reaches the soft ball stage (240 degrees F). Remove the saucepan from the heat and add butter and vanilla. Allow candy to cool.
Whip until the mixture gradually changes to an opaque color and becomes creamy. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a buttered cookie sheet and allow to harden.
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