the club that I work at puts on a Jazz brunch every now and then. This particular menu usually has pralines on it. Well today just wasnt my day for making pralines. The recipes that I that I used called for about half and half brown and granulated sugar and water or heavy cream. Each time that I cooked the sugars, either with or with out the pecans then poured it into an oiled mold to be cut later, every one crystalized.Im not sure If a couple of the recipes called for enough licquid to fully dissolve the sugar to begin with. but any way they will have to settle for pecan diamonds. does anybody have any hints or tips or idiot proof recipes when making pralines. thanks for your time Danno

By W.DeBord on Sunday, January 21, 2001 - 01:43 pm: Edit

As a Northern I have never eaten purchased pralines. But I do make them, the recipe I use is from my manager who is from New Orleans and I think they taste pretty good! They dissapear quickly and I've seen people hord them and ask for take home containers when they are on a buffet?? so I guess there o.k..

2 c. dark brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
1 c. h2o
1 c. heavy cream
3 c. pecans (freahly toasted)
1 tbsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt

In a heavy pan over med. heat combine both sugars, water and salt...dissolve well, add cream. Stirring constantly (although I don't the whole time) boil until soft ball 240. Remove from heat add vanilla and pecans. Drop by tbsp. onto paper lined tray.

Before you attempt to shape them you have to give it a few minutes to cool (it's at that time they thicken nicely). For quality they must be fresh (definately not made the day before) and never cook the nuts in the sugar they soften too much.