One of the most delicious ways to literally treat yourself in the American South is to enjoy a homemade pecan praline, and with this authentic, heartfelt recipe from House of Nash Eats, it’s never been easier to enjoy the melt-in-your-mouth candy in the comfort of your own home!
Though pecan pralines are found in countless corner stores, gas stations, and kitchen counters across the Southern United States, the tradition of cooking (and enjoying) pecan pralines originated from France in the 17th century and came to the United States by way of French chefs in Louisiana, specifically being associated with New Orleans.
Despite their origins, the southern pecan praline is a sweet candy mixture that is often described as being somewhere between a candy confection and a cookie that’s loaded with a delicious brown sugar flavor amid texture-rich pecans. One of the keys to the praline’s hyper-specific, languid texture is the use of heavy cream or milk in its creation. As with any true southern recipe, the list of ingredients varies, and when it comes to the dairy element of pralines, they can be made with milk, creme, half-and-half, heavy whipping cream,evaporated milk, or buttermilk.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- ½ cup of evaporated milk, heavy whipping cream, or buttermilk
- 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, set at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 2 cups of chopped pecans and halves
- ⅛ teaspoon of salt
Directions
- You’ll begin this recipe by lining a baking sheet tray with parchment paper and setting it aside. In a heavy pot, combine your granulated sugar, salt, evaporated milk, and butter over medium heat. Cook this mixture and stir it with a wooden spoon until both the sugars dissolve and the mixture comes to a boil.
- Continue to cook until the temperature reaches a key temperature between 235°F and 240°F. Most southern praline makers quote 236°F as the literal “sweet spot.” The best cooking instrument to use for this task would be a candy thermometer. As soon as your mixture is within that temperature range, you’ll want to remove the pot from the heat and allow your praline mixture to cool for about 5 minutes.
- At this point, once the contents of the pot have cooled, you will stir in your vanilla extract and (fresh if possible) pecans. Beat the mixture vigorously by hand with a wooden spoon just until the candy begins to lose its glossiness and starts to thicken slightly, which should take just about 2 minutes. If you beat the candy longer than that, the candy pieces will start to seize and crumble. However, if you don’t beat the mixture long enough, then the pralines won’t set properly and will remain soft and sticky. It’s a delicate process, so be sure to only beat the candy by hand until it thickens ever slightly and not longer than two minutes.
- After your two minutes, work quickly and efficiently to drop medium to large-sized heaping teaspoons of pecan praline mixture onto your parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Consider using a cookie dough scoop for easier distribution. If the mixture begins to harden before you have a chance to scoop all of the pralines from the pot, simply add in a teaspoon of hot water at a time to be able to scoop again.
- Once the pralines are set on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet, allow them to cool completely until they are set and firm. You can then store them in an airtight container, where they’ll last up to two weeks, or freeze them for up to 2 months.
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