Well Fat Tuesday is upon us and it has been a tradition for many years in our house, making gumbo and finishing up with a sweet treat known as the praline. Now years ago i had the opportunity to take a cooking class in New Orleans and i learned from a New Orleans native just how to make authentic gumbo and the sweet treat known as the praline. Now first i was taught how to say praline. You say pra like bra, and lean…like well…lean…Not pray lean. She explained the difference too! A Pra like bra lean is the tasty bite, where a pray lean is when you are hammered on bourbon street and forget where your hotel is, so you lean up against a building and begin sliding down and you have your hands together praying you will find your room. So with that, i give you an easy recipe for the New Orleans Praline to enjoy on this Fat Tuesday. I would say they are pretty perishable so best enjoyed immediately, but i don’t think that is going to be a problem because they will get eaten as quick as you make them!
This recipe is courtesy of Frogprincepaperie.com
2 cups light brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup half and half creamer
2 tablespoons butter
2 1/4 cup pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
In a medium sized saucepan, mix the sugars, cream of tarter, salt and half and half over medium heat until the mixture reaches 236 degrees, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and cool the mixture to 220 degrees.
Add the butter and vanilla and cool until the mixture starts to thicken–you’ll have to keep a close eye on it! Once thickened, mix in the pecans and drop by the tablespoon full onto waxed paper.
Once set, they’ll be hard. Store in airtight container.
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