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The Delta Queen's Pralines

Source of Recipe

From "My Mother's Southern Desserts" by James Villas


Recipe Introduction

"Dibby Smoot, an old-fashioned Southern belle if I ever met one, was a real character, and since she was a North Carolina transplant from Mississippi, we all called her the Delta Queen till she finally sipped her last cocktail just recently. "Martha Pearl, I'm getting thirsty,' she would announce around four o'clock in the afternoon during one of her 'socials,' a directive that would send Mother to the bar for Dibby's favorite Early Times bourbon. 'And you might as well bring out some of those pralines I brought over.' Now you must understand that Dibby had absolutely no use for classic Louisiana pralines, convinced that since the batter was never beaten like hers, the texture was all wrong. At first, we balked at this heresy, but then the more Mother tried Dibby's 'beaten pralines,' the more raves she got when she served them at her Valentine's Day party. The main difference is that those pralines are lighter and more delicate."

List of Ingredients

• 2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• ¼ cup (½ stick) butter
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1½ tsp pure vanilla or maple extract (or a combination of both)
• 3 Tbsp light corn syrup
• 2 cups coarsely chopped pecans


Recipe

In a large, heavy saucepan, combine all the ingredients except the pecans and mix till well-blended.

Cook, stirring over moderate heat till the mixture registers 240°F on a candy thermometer or forms a soft ball when a glob is dropped into ½ cup cold water.

Cool the mixture slightly, then beat with a wooden spoon till creamy. Add the pecans and stir till well blended and smooth. Drop the batter by the teaspoon onto waxed paper and let the pralines cool completely before serving or storing.

Makes about 3½ dozen pralines.