Pecan Pralines

(5)

There's only one authentic style of Texas pecan pralines, and this is it.

Hands On Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
30 mins
Servings:
18
Yield:
18 pralines

It's rare not to see flan, sopapillas (puffy pillows of fried flour tortillas drizzled with cinnamon and honey), and pecan pralines on Tex-Mex restaurant menus. But 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 melts away on your palate. If you find someone peddling the chewy kind somewhere, it's not the authentic Texas thing.

Pecan Pralines

Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Torie Cox

Ingredients

  • 3 cups light brown sugar

  • 1 cup whipping cream

  • 2 cups pecan halves

  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

  • Wax paper

  • 1/4 cup butter

  • 2 Tbsp. corn syrup

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread pecan halves 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.

    pecan halves on baking sheet

    Emily Laurae/Southern Living

  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).

    boiling pralines in sauce pan

    Emily Laurae / Southern Living

    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.

    pecans in sugar mixture for pralines

    Emily Laurae / Southern Living

  3. Quickly drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto wax paper, and let stand until firm (10 to 15 minutes).

    spooning pecan pralines

    Emily Laurae/Southern Living

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