11: Taking On Crunches, Toffees, and Pralines in VS .NET

Generating QR Code in VS .NET 11: Taking On Crunches, Toffees, and Pralines

Pecan pralines (shown in the color section) are a real Southern favorite, and the presence of so many pecan trees in the South has made them a relatively inexpensive candy to make Traditional pralines combine sugar (granulated or brown), corn syrup, butter, and pecans as the main ingredients Pralines are fairly easy to make The process involves cooking the ingredients to around 240 degrees, adding the butter, stirring until you get just the right consistency, and then dipping them out If you make them a few times, you learn the tricks of the trade Preparation: 1 hour and 45 minutes, including cooling time Yield: About 2 dozen pralines 1 1 4 cups granulated sugar

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1 Line two cookie sheets with nonstick paper and set aside 2 In a 5-quart saucepan, combine the sugars, corn syrup, water, and raw pecans and heat

over medium heat until the sugar dissolves (about 10 minutes) Clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the saucepan, being certain that the stem doesn t touch the bottom of the pan

about 11 to 14 more minutes When the temperature reaches 240 degrees, remove the mixture from the heat, and add the butter pieces and vanilla extract; stir in the ingredients using a wooden spoon

cookie sheets into pieces about 2 to 21 2 inches in diameter (you should make between 22 and 25 pieces)

Per serving: Calories 165 (From Fat 75); Fat 8g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 5mg; Sodium 11mg; Carbohydrate 24g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 1g

Although New Orleans (N awlins, to locals) is famous for the pecan praline, neither the name nor the candy originated there The word praline comes from a Frenchman by the name of Cesar de Plessis Praslin (1598 1675) Depending on whom you talk to, he wanted something to aid in digestion or desired a delicious treat to offer his lady friends when he went courting or they came calling As a romantic, I prefer the courtship version of the story but, actual facts aside, his chef created a combination of syrup and almonds and, with that, the praline was born Years later, when travel across the ocean to the New World became common, the concept made its way to our shores, where a rebirth occurred, and the pecan praline was conceived No matter how the piece changed from a syrupy almond confection to a sugary pecan piece, the name stuck, and the praline is known far and wide The praline is a wonderful piece of candy and is pretty easy to make Pralines are made all across the South, but each section seems to have its own version In N awlins, they swear by the PRAW-leen, which is a firm and very sweet confection with which most people can identify But if you travel to other sections of the South to Texas, for example you find the chewy praline Now these two pieces are almost as different from each other as the Southern praline is from the original piece produced by that French chef hundreds of years ago Some things just don t have rules in the candy world; sometimes what s right boils down to what you want And boiling down is just what praline production is all about

Folks in the Deep South like their pralines nice and firm, but a lot of people in Texas and a few other places prefer theirs chewy I have friends in Texas who ve built quite a reputation with their chewy pralines This recipe is one adaptation of the chewy caramel-like praline that you may enjoy Preparation time: 1 hour and 10 minutes Yield: 80 to 85 pieces 11 2 cups granulated sugar