Sweet And Crunchy Pralines Recipe
Store-bought candy is good, but homemade candy is even better. It may seem like a daunting task to make candy in the comfort of your own kitchen, but this recipe for sweet and crunchy pralines is super easy. All you need to do is set aside about 10 minutes for prep time and another 10 minutes for cook time, and with very little effort, you have homemade pralines. How quick is that? These candies are incredibly sweet, and the pecans add the perfect crunch. Sprinkle a little bit of salt on top, and it's something that will definitely hit the spot for anyone who is craving a sweet and salty snack.
Recipe developer Stephanie Rapone came up with this sweet and crunchy pralines recipe, largely from a desire to always have her favorite candy on-hand. "I've always loved pralines. It was my favorite ice cream flavor as a kid (still is!) and the first time I realized they were actually a candy, not just an ice cream flavor, I was in heaven! But, they can be hard to find," Rapone shares. "Realizing it was just a few simple ingredients and not a cumbersome process made me want to try to make them myself." How cool is that? Rapone continues, "I am addicted to pralines (like how other people are addicted to chocolate). It's my favorite flavor profile ever. Being able to whip up a batch is one of my favorite indulgences!"
Gather the ingredients for this sweet and crunchy pralines recipe
Ready to get started? For this recipe you'll need granulated sugar, light brown sugar, evaporated milk, unsalted butter, vanilla bean paste, sea salt, and pecan halves.
Once you have those items, you can make this sweet and crunchy pralines recipe.
Line a baking sheet and cut the butter
Grab a large baking sheet and cover it with a silicone mat or parchment paper. This will prevent the candy from sticking to the pan as it cools.
Next, remove the butter from the fridge and place it on a cutting board. Chop it into small cubes and put it in a bowl.
Mix the white sugar, brown sugar, and evaporated milk
Place a medium-sized saucepan on your stove and turn the dial about halfway, so the heat's on medium. Toss in the white sugar, brown sugar, and evaporated milk. Stir everything together with a wooden spoon or a silicone spatula until the sugars dissolve.
Next, insert a candy thermometer or digital probe thermometer into the mixture to keep an eye on the candy's temperature. Be sure to stir occasionally to prevent scorching as the praline base cooks. Cook until the temperature reaches 235-240 F.
Add the cubed butter, vanilla, and pecans
Turn the heat off and add the cubed butter to the pan ... just don't stir the butter into the mix! Let it sit for a minute for the butter to soften. This will allow the sugar mixture to come down a bit in temperature.
Next, toss in the vanilla paste and the pecans. Stir until the mixture starts to lighten up, which should take about 2-3 minutes. Just make sure that you don't stir for too long, or the candy will begin to set in the pan.
Add the pralines to the prepared baking sheet
Quickly drop small mounds of the mixture onto your prepared baking sheet. Then, add a light sprinkle of sea salt to the top. "I love adding a bit of sea salt to my pralines to offset the sweetness," Rapone notes. "While not traditional, it amps up the flavor profile but doesn't mess with the chemistry-magic that happens in the candy making process."
Allow the candy to set for 15 minutes before you dig in. These sweet and crunchy pralines are good on their own, but Rapone also provides a few good pairing suggestions. "I love pralines with coffee, or crumbled on ice cream, or in a milk shake, or broken up to top a cheesecake. I could go on and on!" Rapone shares.
These are so good we don't think you'll have many leftovers, but if you do, simply store them in an airtight container for up to a week.
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, or high-quality vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 10 ounce bag pecan halves
- Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Cut the butter into cubes.
- Place a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the white sugar, brown sugar, and evaporated milk. Stir with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until the sugars are dissolved.
- Insert a candy thermometer or digital probe thermometer and cook the candy, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, until it reaches 235-240 F.
- Turn the heat off and add the cubed butter to the pan, but do not stir. Let it sit for 1 minute for the butter to soften and to allow the sugar mixture to come down slightly in temperature.
- Add the vanilla and the pecans and stir until the mixture starts to lighten in color, about 2-3 minutes. Do not stir for too long or it will start to set in the pan.
- Quickly drop small mounds of the mixture onto your prepared baking sheet. Add a light sprinkle of sea salt to the top of the pralines.
- Allow the candy to set for 15 min before enjoying.
- Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 173 |
| Total Fat | 10.8 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2.2 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.1 g |
| Cholesterol | 6.6 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 19.5 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.1 g |
| Total Sugars | 18.2 g |
| Sodium | 47.7 mg |
| Protein | 1.5 g |
