Emerils Creamy Pralines Recipes

EMERIL'S CREAMY PRALINES

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, over medium heat, combine the sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt and condensed milk.
• With a wooden spoon, stir until the sugar dissolves.
• Continue to cook, stirring, until smooth and light brown, about 8 minutes.
• Add the vanilla and pecans and continue to cook, stirring, until the mixture reaches 234 to 240 degrees F. on a candy thermometer or the soft ball stage, that is, when a bit dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens. Remove from the heat and drop by the spoonful onto waxed paper.
• Let cool.
• Remove from the paper with a thin knife.

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.

PRALINES

Steps:

• In a saucepan heat sugar and corn syrup over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Boil until golden-brown and caramelized, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove pan from heat and carefully pour in cream. Mixture will bubble up. Stir in pecans until well-coated. Use a spoon to drop 2-inch rounds onto waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Let harden before serving.

PRALINE POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter 2 (9 by 5 by 3-inch) loaf pans, using the heaping tablespoon of the butter.
• Cream the remaining butter and the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer on low speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
• In a separate mixing bowl, beat together the egg yolks with the vanilla until light and frothy. With the electric mixer on medium-low, gradually add the egg yolk mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and mix for about 4 minutes.
• In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the electric mixer on medium speed, alternately add the flour mixture, a third at a time, and the egg whites, a third at a time, to the butter and egg mixture, beating for 2 minutes between each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you mix. Add the lemon zest during the last 2 minutes of mixing.
• Divide the batter equally between the pans. To 1 of the cakes, add the crumbled pralines and the rum to the batter and gently stir to mix evenly; leave the other plain. Bake the plain cake for about 1 hour, the praline cake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Both should be golden when done and firm to the touch.
• The cakes can be stored by wrapping them in waxed paper, then plastic wrap, then in foil. They do not need to be refrigerated.
• In a heavy saucepan, over medium heat, combine the sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt and condensed milk. With a wooden spoon, stir until the sugar dissolves. Continue to cook, stirring, until smooth and light brown, about 8 minutes. Add the vanilla and pecans and continue to cook, stirring, until the mixture reaches 234 to 240 degrees F. on a candy thermometer or the soft ball stage, that is, when a bit dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens. Remove from the heat and drop by the spoonful onto waxed paper. Let cool. Remove from the paper with a thin knife.

EMERIL'S CRUNCHY PRALINES

Steps:

• Combine the sugar, butter, and water in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
• Continue to stir for 3 to 4 minutes; the mixture will begin to boil.
• Add the pecans and continue to stir for about 5 minutes.
• Remove from the heat.
• Drop by the spoonful onto wax paper.
• Let cool.
• Remove from the paper with a thin knife.
• NOTE: Pralines may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2 weeks.