By Harold McGee
- Total Time
- 30 to 40 minutes
- Rating
- 4(183)
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:About 30 pralines
- 3cups pecans
- 1½cups granulated sugar
- 1½cups light brown sugar
- ¾cup heavy cream
- ⅓cup milk
- ⅓cup butter
- ¾teaspoon salt
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (30 servings)
175 calories; 11 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 19 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 18 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 63 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake in a 350-degree oven until lightly toasted, 10 to 15 minutes.
Step
2
Combine all the ingredients except the pecans and vanilla extract in a 4-quart glass bowl. Heat in a microwave oven on high power for 5 minutes. Using oven mitts or potholders, carefully transfer the bowl to a countertop and stir with a heat-resistant spatula. Return to microwave and heat for 5 more minutes.
Step
3
Stir in the pecans and heat for another 5 minutes. Stir and check the temperature with a digital or candy thermometer. If it reads 240 degrees, proceed to Step 4. If not, continue heating on high power, stirring and checking the temperature every minute until it does.
Step
4
Remove from oven and let the mix sit undisturbed. After 20 minutes, add the vanilla extract and stir vigorously until it becomes cloudy and creamy. Using 2 spoons, scoop and shape into 2-inch-diameter mounds on a baking sheet lined with foil, parchment paper or a silicone mat. If the mix becomes too hard to shape, reheat for 15 seconds. Let the pralines rest for 30 minutes. Keep stored in an airtight container.
Ratings
4
out of 5
183
user ratings
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Cooking Notes
Playing With Food
Much easier than the traditional stovetop method. Made great pralines, and I was even able to put them in a silicon "heart" mold for Valentine's Day. An unusual shape for a praline but that's the point, isn't it -- to make something special for the one you love.
Jen
Playing With Food is correct that this was easy, and they come out tasty sugar-bombs. My microwave did not require that many minutes - be careful not to overheat and burn everything. The end texture seems a little too crumbly, but they tasted great in Coffee-Praline Crunch Ice Cream Cake, and a half batch of this is more than enough for that.
Leigh
I’ve been eating pralines for many years, and most have whole or large pieces.
Fiona Watt
Totally burned in less the time
Mary
Next time I will check temp 2 minutes after adding pecans. Tried 4 minutes for the final stage but it was too much…pralines ended up well over 250 degrees. My microwave is 850 watts. They ended up grainy and didn’t hold together that well, but I was using them in an ice cream cake so crumbly was ok.
Cindy
I never had a praline but I wanted to make some. I asked a Texan friend if he liked them crunchy or soft and he said crunchy, so that's what I was striving for. I looked at a lot of recipes and chose this one as I have had great luck with microwave nut brittle and I thought this might be as easy. It was easy. When he said the temp should be 240, I thought, "This is going to be fudge, not a crunchy praline." I was right. But it's delicious fudge, like penuche. I used an 8 cup Pyrex to cook it in.
Camomof5
Mine came out grainy. I followed the instructions to the letter and made sure to get to 240 degrees on my candy thermometer :(
Mary
Next time I will check temp 2 minutes after adding pecans. Tried 4 minutes for the final stage but it was too much…pralines ended up well over 250 degrees. My microwave is 850 watts. They ended up grainy and didn’t hold together that well, but I was using them in an ice cream cake so crumbly was ok.
Jen
Playing With Food is correct that this was easy, and they come out tasty sugar-bombs. My microwave did not require that many minutes - be careful not to overheat and burn everything. The end texture seems a little too crumbly, but they tasted great in Coffee-Praline Crunch Ice Cream Cake, and a half batch of this is more than enough for that.
substitution for corn meal? (I’m allergic)
Does this really require a 4 quart bowl? I have a 3-quart and the quantities are such so that I can easily cut back to 2/3, so I guess that’s what I’ll do.
Andi
A disaster. "Failed pralines" are not delicious, despite what Samantha Seneviratne says.
anita
allergic to pecans. would almonds be an alright substitute?
Leslie Stephen
Plenty easy but produced a sugary praline. Not sure whether it was something I did wrong or just the technique. Any advice?
Fiona Watt
Totally burned in less the time
RAR
The pecans remain whole? I have had pralines before, but the pecan pieces were small. Am I missing something?
Leigh
I’ve been eating pralines for many years, and most have whole or large pieces.
Playing With Food
Much easier than the traditional stovetop method. Made great pralines, and I was even able to put them in a silicon "heart" mold for Valentine's Day. An unusual shape for a praline but that's the point, isn't it -- to make something special for the one you love.
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