Pecan Pralines
Homemade southern pecan pralines are surprisingly easy to make, with just a few simple ingredients. If you love pecan pie, you'll love this fudgy, chewy treat!
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Servings: 24 Servings (at least)
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups pecan halves
- 3 cups light brown sugar (360 grams)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tablespoons corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt use less for fine table salt
- 4 Tablespoons butter (57 grams/half a stick)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prep Your Station. Before starting, you want to have everything prepared, measured, and close by so you can work quickly. Every second counts when you're making candy, so you don't want to waste any time or risk burning your candy! Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper and have a small cookie scoop or two spoons close by for measuring the pralines out at the end.
- Toast & Chop Pecans. To start, toast spread the pecans out onto a baking sheet and toast 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees F until fragrant and toasted. Let them cool on the baking sheet, then roughly chop pecans and set aside. (This can be done a few days in advance, if desired!)
- Combine. In a heavy bottomed 3-quart saucepan, combine brown sugar, heavy cream, corn syrup, and salt. Stir until well blended. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of your saucepan.
- Boil to 235 Degrees F. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat (this can take 12-15 minutes!), then boil 5-7 minutes, until the sugar mixture reaches 235-240 degrees F. on the candy thermometer. This is known as the "soft ball" candy stage--if you drizzle a drop into a glass of ice water, it should form a soft ball, rather than a stringy mess or a hard ball. Keep in mind that if you do not reach 235 degrees, your candy will not set up properly. This is the key step!
- Stir in Butter. When the sugar mixture reaches 235 degrees F, stir in the butter and stir until melted.
- Stir in Pecans & Vanilla. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pecans and the vanilla. Stir until well blended (and to help the candy mixture cool down a bit!) about 4-5 minutes.
- Scoop. Use a small cookie scoop or two spoons to scoop heaping tablespoon-size dollops of pralines out onto your parchment-lined baking sheets. The mixture will begin to set up and turn more opaque.
- Cool to Set. Allow the pralines to cool and set completely. This can take an hour or more, depending on your temperature & humidity. When freshly scooped, the pralines may be more glossy & translucent, but they will start to turn more opaque and fudgy with time.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.
Notes
Recipe Tips:
- Cook Time Variation. Depending on the exact dimensions of your saucepan, the kind of oven you have, and the temperature & humidity in your area, the exact cook times may vary. This is why a candy thermometer is so important! Keep an eye out for the soft-ball stage, and you'll be good to go.
- Kosher Salt. Our recipe is formulated with kosher salt. If you're using fine table salt, you'll want to reduce the amount by half. (So instead of 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, you'll use 1/4 tsp. fine table salt)
- Avoid Humidity. Humidity makes it difficult for candy to set up properly, so it's best to make these in dry weather when possible. Also, store the pralines in an airtight container to keep them fresh!
Safety Tips:
- Use The Right Size Pan. Boiling sugar is EXTREMELY hot, so it's important to use a large enough pan to accommodate the bubbling, boiling sugar and your candy thermometer. If you use a larger, wider pan, it may be hard for your candy thermometer to get an accurate reading, so I recommend a 3-quart size whenever possible.
- Wear Long Sleeves. Again, splattering sugar is painful, so I recommend long sleeves for extra protection. I haven't yet been burned by this recipe, but I always recommend playing it safe when working with hot sugar.
- Be Attentive & Mindful! You must stay by the saucepan the whole time it's cooking, stirring constantly to avoid burning the sugar, and keeping an eye on your pan so it doesn't boil over. (It shouldn't with a 3-quart pan!)
- Use A Thermometer. Hitting the right temperature is essential for these pralines to set up properly, so a thermometer is a necessity here. I have both a digital and candy thermometer, and while you can technically use either, a candy thermometer is the safest choice since it clips to the side of your pan so you don't have to get your fingers close to the hot sugar.
Video
Find the recipe:
sweetsandthankyou.com/pecan-pralines/