Louisiana Pecan Pralines
Source of Recipe
Marla
Recipe Introduction
Pralines are part of Louisiana's bittersweet history. Sugar fueled
the colony, giving rise to large plantations and increasing the
demand for slave labor. At the same time, sugar made it possible for
some slaves to buy their freedom by selling sweets like pralines.
This recipe comes from Numa's cousin Albert's wife, Mildred Martinez.
She in turn got it from a friend some 50 years ago. The recipe,
including the instructions, is almost the same as Louisiana Sen.
Allen J. Ellender's recipe printed on the back of the Bergeron
Shelled Pecans bag. The only difference is Mildred's addition of
vanilla. (Hahne's note: You can easily use fewer nuts than the recipe
calls for, but if you add more, you might not have enough sugar
mixture to hold everything together. Stir and stir and stir before
you start spooning out the mixture. The sugar must crystallize, or
you'll have a sticky mess.)
List of Ingredients
Louisiana Pecan Pralines
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup dark or light brown sugar
1 stick butter (1/4 lb.)
1 tbl. vanilla
1 cup milk
2 tbls. Karo syrup
4 cups pecan halves or pieces
Recipe
1. Put all the ingredients except the pecans in a 3-quart saucepan
and cook for 20 minutes.
2. After boiling starts, stir occasionally. Add the pecans and cook
the mixture until the liquid forms a soft ball when a little is
dropped into cold water.
3. Stir well and then drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Place a few
sheets of newspaper under the waxed paper. I find it convenient to
place a small table near the stove over which I put a few sheets of
newspaper, and then put the waxed paper over that.
source is David
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