It’s rare not to see flan, sopapillas (puffy pillows of friend flour tortillas drizzled with cinnamon and honey), and pecan pralines on Tex-Mex restaurant menus. There’s only one authentic style of Texas praline. It must be relatively flat, hard to the touch, and offer both a creamy and crispy sugar texture as it melt away on your palate. If you find someone peddling the chewy kind somewhere, it’s not the authentic Texas thing.
How to Make It
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350˚. Spread pecan halfs onto a baking sheet, and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, stir pecans around baking sheet, and place back into oven for another 5 minutes.
Step 2
Bring brown sugar, whipping cream, butter, and corn syrup 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 (soft ball stage). Remove sugar mixture from heat.
Let sugar mixture stand until candy thermometer reaches 150˚F (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.
Step 3
Let sugar mixture stand until candy thermometer reaches 150˚F (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.
Step 4
Quickly drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto wax paper, and let stand until firm (10 to 15 minutes).
