Pecan Pralines

Between studying for the CBEST, I watched a few minutes of Paula Deen and she was making pecan pralines with a friend. Feeling inspired and knowing I had all the ingredients, I decided to take a crack at it!

The recipe I made is a combination from a recipe on the all recipes website, Buttermilk Pralines, and Stan Strickland's Pecan Pralines Recipe.

Pecan Pralines

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk (I only had milk on hand, so I added 1 tbs of lemon juice to the cup of milk and waited 10 minutes)
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 stick of butter (no substitutes)
• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:


In a heavy 3-qt. saucepan, combine all ingredients except the pecans.
In a heavy 3-qt. saucepan, combine all ingredients except the pecans. Cook and stir over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 238- 241 degrees F or a soft ball stage**. This takes patience so don't get discouraged. (Don't I sound like a hypocrite?)

**What is a soft ball stage you ask? This is a method one can use if you don't have a candy thermometer. At this temperature, sugar syrup dropped into cold water will form a soft, flexible ball. If you remove the ball from water, it will flatten like a pancake after a few moments in your hand. Fudge, pralines, and fondant are made by cooking ingredients to the soft-ball stage.



Stir in pecans then remove from heat. Beat with a wooden spoon until mixture loses its gloss and begins to set, about 8 minutes.

Quickly drop by teaspoonfuls (or whatever size you want) onto foil-lined baking sheets. Cool.

You really do have to move quickly because it sets up fast. The last few pralines did not look as nice as the first ones I scooped out. I will definitely be making these again!!