Pecan Pralines
A New Orleans candy: brown sugar, butter, cream and toasted pecans cooked to soft-ball, beaten till it sugars, dropped onto parchment.
Overview
Pecan halves toast in a dry pan till fragrant. Brown sugar, caster sugar, double cream, butter and a pinch of salt simmer together in a heavy saucepan, fitted with a candy thermometer, until they reach 116°C (soft-ball stage). Off heat; vanilla and pecans stir in. The mixture is beaten with a wooden spoon for 30-60 seconds till it begins to thicken and lose its gloss (this is the crystallisation point). Drops by tablespoons onto parchment immediately. Sets in 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- 200 g pecan halves
- 200 g light brown sugar
- 100 g caster sugar
- 180 ml double cream
- 60 g unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Equipment
- Candy thermometer
- Parchment-lined tray
- Heavy-bottomed 2-3 L saucepan
- Wooden spoon (essential for the final beat)
Method
Stage 1 - Toast pecans
- Spread the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat.
- Toast 4-5 minutes, tossing, until fragrant and a shade darker.
- Tip onto a plate to cool.
Stage 2 - Syrup
- In a heavy 2-3 litre saucepan, combine the brown sugar, caster sugar, cream and butter.
- Place over medium heat; stir until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves.
- Clip on a candy thermometer.
- Bring to a simmer; stop stirring.
- Cook to 116°C (soft-ball stage - about 6-8 minutes from the simmer).
- Add the salt during this time.
Stage 3 - Off heat
- The moment 116°C is reached, remove from heat.
- Add the toasted pecans and the vanilla.
- With a wooden spoon, beat vigorously and continuously for 30-60 seconds.
- The mixture transforms: glossy → matte; thin → thick; ready when it loses its shine and starts to feel resistant.
Stage 4 - Drop
- Working FAST (the mixture continues to set), drop heaped tablespoons of the mixture onto a parchment-lined tray.
- Aim for flat discs about 6 cm across.
- If the mixture seizes before you've finished, add 1-2 tablespoons of hot cream and beat again briefly to loosen.
Stage 5 - Set
- Pralines set in 10-15 minutes at room temperature.
- Peel off the parchment.
Notes
- Soft-ball stage is non-negotiable: lower temperatures give pralines that don't set; higher give brittle ones. A candy thermometer is essential.
- The beating step is the trick: beating after taking off the heat causes controlled crystallisation. This is what gives NOLA pralines their iconic matte, slightly grainy texture. Skip beating and you get a glossy fudge instead.
- Work fast at the drop stage: the mixture goes from pourable to seized in about 90 seconds. Have your parchment and spoon ready before you start beating.
- Humid days are pralines' enemy: sugar candies absorb moisture from the air. Make pralines on a dry day; they'll set glossier and store better.
Storage
- Keeps 2 weeks in an airtight tin at room temperature.
- Don't refrigerate - the sugar absorbs moisture and they go sticky.
- Wrap individually in cellophane for gifts.
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