By Tracey
Pralines
from DamGoodSweet by David Guas and Raquel Pelzel
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup plus 4 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
- 2 cups pecan pieces
Directions:
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt over medium-low heat. Add 1/2 cup of the cream and both sugars and continue cooking until the sugars are dissolved. Increase the heat to medium then simmer until the mixture reaches 240-250 F, using a rubber spatula to gently push the mixture back and forth in the middle and around the edges occasionally. (Though it didn’t happen when I made these, the authors note that you can add 2 more tablespoons of the cream to the pot if the mixture begins to crystallize and continue cooking until it loosens up.)
Add the pecans, remove the pan from the heat and give the mixture a final gentle stir. Use a wooden spoon to portion about 2 tablespoons of the praline mixture onto the prepared baking sheet for each candy, leaving at least 1 inch between them. If the mixture begins to crystallize and set up before you finish portioning all of the pralines, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream to the saucepan and set the pan over medium heat until the mixture is creamy, then continue portioning the candies. Cool for at least 30 minutes before transferring the pralines to an airtight container.
Yields about 3 dozen
