Creamy Pralines By Diana Rattray Aboutcom Recipes

CREAMY PECAN PRALINES

Steps:

• Mix light brown sugar, granulated sugar, heavy cream, butter, water and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until sugar dissolves. Stir in pecans and cook over medium heat until mixture reaches the soft ball stage, 238 to 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer. If you spoon a drop of boiling syrup into a cup of ice water, it will form a soft ball that flattens easily between your fingers.
• Remove pan from heat and stir rapidly until mixture thickens. Drop pralines by the spoonfuls, 1-inch apart onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Let cool completely until firm. Store in an airtight container.

PECAN PRALINE COOKIES WITH VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 325 F. Lightly grease baking sheets or line with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
• In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add the brown sugar and beat on high speed until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour.
• Fold in the chopped pecans.
• Scoop portions of cookie dough with a tablespoon or small cookie scoop and shape each into a ball. Arrange the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheets about 2 1/2 inches apart.
• Lightly grease the bottom of a glass or other small container with a flat bottom and dip it in granulated sugar, pourable brown sugar, or raw sugar. Press the bottom of the glass lightly on a cookie ball to flatten slightly. Redip the glass in sugar and repeat with the remaining balls of cookie dough.
• Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are firm and lightly browned on the bottoms.

EASY CREAMY PECAN PRALINES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Lay an 18-inch sheet of waxed paper or parchment paper on the countertop.
• Cut the butter into small pieces. Place the pieces of butter on a plate and put the plate in the freezer while you heat the ingredients.
• In a heavy medium saucepan, add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and evaporated milk.
• Place the pan over medium heat, whisk to blend, and cook until the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage or 235 F when measured with a candy thermometer.
• Immediately remove the pan from the burner and stir in the frozen butter with a wooden spoon.
• Add the pecans and vanilla and continue stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture is no longer shiny and thickens but is not too stiff. The candy should spread slightly when you spoon it onto the paper.
• Use a tablespoon to spoon mounds of the candy onto the waxed paper or parchment, making sure that there are pecans in each praline.
• Let the candy stand at room temperature until firm, about 30 minutes.

SOUTHERN PRALINES

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, cream, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook until a candy thermometer reads 230° (thread stage), stirring occasionally., Carefully stir in pecans and butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer reads 236° (soft-ball stage)., Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Beat with a wooden spoon until candy thickens and begins to lose its gloss, about 4-5 minutes. , Quickly drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper; spread to form 2-in. patties. Let stand until set. Store in an airtight container.

PRALINES

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• In large saucepan over medium heat, combine pecans, sugar, butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla. Heat to between 234 and 240 degrees F (112 to 116 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface.
• Drop by spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet. Let cool completely.