This week I’ve been making Pralines-I always make them at Christmas. It’s one of those things I’m expected to make-like Thanksgiving Rolls.
When Chatter and Chitter were little they sometimes acted like Banshees (actually sometimes-they still do). I had a hard time taking both of them grocery shopping with me-if I didn’t put them in the buggy they got away from me-if I did put them in the buggy there was no room for the groceries. I finally found the solution to my dilemma-at a BILO store. They had a buggy with 2 seats built into it-they even buckled so the girls couldn’t escape. Each Christmas the BILO store handed out Christmas magazines filled with recipes. One year it had this Praline recipe in it-and I’ve been making them ever since.
Pralines
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup of butter
- 2 cups pecan halves (pieces work too)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
*Combine sugar, soda, salt, and buttermilk in a large saucepan and cook over high heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Continue boiling and stirring until mixture begins to thicken and becomes slightly creamy (210 degrees on a candy thermometer).
*Add butter and pecans, and continue boiling over medium high heat until the thermometer reaches 234 degrees (soft ball stage).
*Remove pan from heat, and add vanilla. Allow mixture to cool about 2 minutes. Beat mixture until it begins to lose its gloss and is thick and creamy. Quickly, drop by spoonfuls in 2 inch rounds on waxed paper/foil let cool. (if mixture becomes too hard, immerse pan in hot water for several minutes and resume dropping candies)
To me the only hard part of the recipe is knowing when to start dropping the pralines onto the paper. I’ve dropped too soon and ended up scraping it all up to cook a little more. The best tip I can give-other than trial and error-is too really pay attention to the mixture-it does loose it’s glossy appearance and you can begin to see a difference in the texture of the mixture as well. Honestly-the pralines are so good-even if I had to scrape the mixture back into the pot and cook it a little longer every time I made them-it’d be worth it. The pralines are creamy melt in your mouth goodness.
Tipper
Abbey-congratulations and thank you for letting me know the pralines turned out good for you!!
Tipper
Blind Pig The Acorn
Celebrating and Preserving the
Culture of Appalachia
http://www.blindpigandtheacorn.com
On
YAY!! Success on the first try and normally I can’t do candy. I have a new LED thermometer that worked a charm. I did drop some very large pralines, but they are better than chocolate! I agree with an earlier comment about the buttermilk. I think that made the difference. I did try pralines many years ago after buying some in LA, but they just weren’t the same.
Thank you, once again, for a fabulous recipe.
The pralines look great, and the music is fantastic!
these sound YUM!
🙂
the list of things i’m “expected to make” keeps getting longer and longer . . .
Wow, I love that picture.
Haven’t I seen a picture of one of your daughters lately with the same kind of scarf on her head?
love the picture of chitter and chatter! If I get off silly old bedrest soon I’ll be doing some maple caramels for everybody, missed the best weather for candy making already this December so no divinity this year but caramels and pralines don’t seem to be as picky for dry air.
My boss, when I worked at the Uniform Company, used to bring me pralines from Louisiana every time he went. I enjoyed them that much. I’ll definitely be making these and I thank you kindly for sharing the recipe with us. Sorry, little drool there. 🙂 xxoo
Folks, I can vouch for these Pralines. They are wonderful and really do melt in your mouth!
Christmas traditions are wonderful!
Another thing I loved at Christmas was divinity with fresh pecans. The pecans have to be fresh!
I am thrilled you posted the recipe. I had some pralines when I was a little girl and honestly, I haven’t tasted any like them since. And I think I know why! Buttermilk! I have been looking at New Orleans recipes and they have cream in them and they are just not the same.
It makes sense that my Tennessee relatives on the farm would have made them with buttermilk — always something they had in abundance –and not cream, which was a luxury and if they had it, they probably sold it.
Plus yours has baking soda and white sugar instead of brown sugar.
I just know this long mystery is finally solved. Thank you Tipper! What would I do without your blog now that I have found it….
My mom made candies of all sorts every year, sometimes all year, not just for Christmas. I have never ventured into making brittle or pralines, but this recipe sounds so easy! Thanks I will let you know when I make it!
Brenda ~ TY for your visit. I love pralines … can eat myself SICK on them.
Hope you will continue to follow me on the new blog.
Merry Christmas, TTFN ~ Marydon
Tipper,
These pralines look heavenly. I may try making these. They would be so good for Christmas. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.
The pralines look delicious. I have a candy thermometer I bought at a yard sale a couple yrs ago, never used it but maybe I’ll try these.
Patty H.
Tipper: That looks so, so good. I’m sure I would have a hard time not gobbling them up.
Oh do they ever look good! Yummy~
We just got a new Costco and I noticed that the shopping carts are two seaters. I sure could have used that when my kids were little too, even though I don’t have twins. It would have made the world so much easier!
I have got to make me some of those! We are only a few miles from the “Pecan Capitol of the World”! (also Soybean capitol of the world, Goose capitol of the world… I think I will stick with pecans!) These sound great!
these sound good, Tipper, especially since you said they melt in your mouth and aren’t chewy. Chewy, sticky candy and I don’t get along.
Mmmm those look so good, Tipper- I haven’t had any in years. My Grandmother used to make them- I may try them this year!
Tipper, those look so good. I have to admit that I’m a chicken about making anything that uses a candy thermometer…But I’m thinking I should give those a try!
When I lived in LuZeeAnna, I tried and tried to make the gooey kind of pray leen. Never did get it right but they did taste like heaven. My recipe called for brown sugar, I think. Anyway mine always came out looking just like yours.
Thank you for a new recipe to try.
That sounds so good. I’m going to try it….if I ever get this house cleaned up.
I would love to make these but I’m scared. Me and the “soft ball stage” have never been friends. I either end up with syrup or hockey pucks!
Mmm! I’m going to have to try these!
Got it copied down in my notebook. And you know this year I have plenty of pecans. Yippee! I am definitely trying these, since I’ve never eaten a praline before.
Those look wonderful, Tipper! I think I’ll try them! I had little Banshees, too, LOL! They are 18 mos apart~I never looked forward to grocery shopping with them until they were both over five!
Thanks for the recipe!
I understand about taking little banchees to the grocery store. I had a couple of them. Boy ones! But they grew up too fast.
The recipe sounds good. They expect choc.covered peanut butter balls around here at Christmas time. I need to start making some up soon.
Thanks for the recipe. Have a great day.
Pam
Annie-the good thing about this recipe-they arent chewy they really do melt in your mouth.
Blind Pig The Acorn
Music, Giveaways, Mountain Folk
All at http://www.blindpigandtheacorn.com
Julie-its pray-leens around here : )
Blind Pig The Acorn
Music, Giveaways, Mountain Folk
All at http://www.blindpigandtheacorn.com
WE love pralines.
But I have to ask, do you say “praw – leens” or “pray – leens”? It’s an ongoing debate around these parts.
Hey Tipper,
My mil makes these every year at Christmas too! I think she uses this same recipe. They really are delish!
Well, it looks like Val and I will be making pralines for Christmas……….they look great Tipper, I will let you know how they go. Hope your day is a good one.
Shane
Thanks for sharing this wonderful sounding recipe! They look great and sound fairly easy to make. These would not last long around our house if I made them! blessings,Kathleen
Oh my, they look good – I’m not sure my teeth could manage them anymore but my kids would love them
I haven’t heard the word “banchees” in a long time, but it is a wonderful description of children at certain times. How clever of Bilo to have carts for them.
Your pralines sound divine. My great-aunt used to make them at Christmas. You’ve got me thinking….maybe I should be paying more attention to the recipes in their magazines. Sounds like these are a success and you’ve perfected them by trial & error – always one of my favorite methods of cooking.
Sam