Creamy Pralines By Diana Rattray Aboutcom Recipes

Steps:

• Mix light brown sugar, granulated sugar, heavy cream, butter, water and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until sugar dissolves. Stir in pecans and cook over medium heat until mixture reaches the soft ball stage, 238 to 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer. If you spoon a drop of boiling syrup into a cup of ice water, it will form a soft ball that flattens easily between your fingers.
• Remove pan from heat and stir rapidly until mixture thickens. Drop pralines by the spoonfuls, 1-inch apart onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Let cool completely until firm. Store in an airtight container.

Steps:

• In a deep, 2-quart heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar and milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugars melt. Cook, stirring frequently, to keep mixture from bubbling over, until a candy thermometer reads 228 degrees. Add the pecans and butter and stir until butter melts. Continue cooking until thermometer reaches 232 degrees. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Allow to cool, stirring occasionally, until the mixture loses some of its gloss.
• Spoon the praline mixture onto parchment paper, forming 24 thin patties, each about 2 inches in diameter. Let cool at least a half hour. Wrap individually in wax-paper squares.

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cream, milk, butter, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, to 230°F Lower heat slightly if the mixture threatens to boil over.
• Add the pecans and continue cooking, stirring constantly, to 236°F The mixture should form a soft ball when a little is dropped in cold water. Remove from the heat and add vanilla; let stand for about 5 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is thickened and slightly creamy, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
• Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, spoon the pralines onto a sheet of parchment paper or waxed paper. If the mixture becomes grainy, heat and stir over medium heat for a few seconds, or until it can be easily scooped and dropped.
• Optional Toasted Pecans:.
• Heat oven to 350°. Spread chopped pecans out on a large baking sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes, or until the chopped pecans are lightly browned and aromatic. This can also be achieved by microwaving pecans on a microwave-safe plate in 30 second increments.

Steps:

• In heavy 3-quart saucepan, heat brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk, corn syrup and salt to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium. Cook uncovered about 15 minutes, without stirring, to 236°F on candy thermometer or until small amount of mixture dropped into cup of very cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from water. Cool about 1 hour, without stirring, until saucepan is cool to the touch.
• Add vanilla and pecan halves. Beat with spoon about 1 minute or until mixture is slightly thickened and just coats pecans but does not lose its gloss. On waxed paper, drop mixture by spoonfuls, dividing pecans equally. Let stand uncovered 1 to 2 hours or until candies are firm and no longer glossy.
• Wrap candies individually in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Store in airtight container.

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• In large saucepan over medium heat, combine pecans, sugar, butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla. Heat to between 234 and 240 degrees F (112 to 116 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface.
• Drop by spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet. Let cool completely.