Pecan Pralines

Source

These are **Texas-style pralines.** They have a little snap to them when you bite into them but they are still creamy. In my experience, the Lousiana-style pralines are softer. There’s a bit of a TX/LA battle over whose pralines are better but I don’t want to get into all that. I think both styles are delicious.
Pralines most likely came to the U.S. through French settlers. They were named for a 17th century French diplomat César, duc de Choiseul, comte du Plessis-Praslin, and they were originally made with almonds until pecans (readily available) were subbed in. In Europe, the praline has developed into a completed different dish. There’s the Belgian praline, which is a chocolate with a soft center. In France, praline may refer to almonds coated in caramelized sugar and ground up into a powder (which is sometimes mixed with chocolate to make a tasty confection). But these are American pralines, which are quite different, indeed. They’re so easy to make! While the holidays are behind us, consider making these for, say, a Valentine’s day treat.
Source: [Southern Living](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfYr_IgxARA)
3 cups brown sugar (600g)
1 cup whipping cream (240ml)
¼ cup (half a stick or ~ 57g) of butter
2 tbs of corn syrup (30ml)
Bring ingredients to a boil in a heavy 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 236˚F/113˚C (soft ball stage). Remove sugar mixture from heat.
Let sugar mixture stand until candy thermometer reaches 150˚F/66˚C (20 to 25 minutes). Stir in pecans and vanilla using a wooden spoon; stir constantly 1 to 2 minutes or just until mixture begins to lose its gloss.
Quickly drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto wax paper, and let stand until firm (10 to 15 minutes).
As a reference for people who don’t know about **candymaking stages**:
**Thread Stage** is around 230 F. When you drop it in cold water it forms a thread that doesn’t ball up. This makes for a suitable dessert syrup but it will not harden into candy.
**Soft-Ball Stage** is around 235 F. When you drop it into ice water it makes a soft, smushable ball. Pralines and fudge are cooked to soft-ball stage.
**Firm-Ball Stage** is around 245 F. Makes a harder ball but it’s still malleable when you take it out of the water. Think caramels–firm but still sticky and slightly soft.
**Hard-Ball Stage** 250 F. Makes a hard ball in the water, but you can still smush it if you try. Nougat and marshmallows require this temp.
**Soft-Crack Stage** is between 270 and 289F. Makes flexible threads in the water that will bend and then break. Taffy is cooked to this stage.
**Hard-Crack Stage** is 300F to 310F. This stuff is molten hot and makes hard threads in the water that snap when you bend them. This is where you need to get toffee and brittle.
Be very careful working with hot sugar, because if you drip it on your skin it will fuse to you and cause a severe burn. I have, unfortunately, experienced this first hand.
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