The praline was named after a French diplomat from the early 17th century, Marshal du Plessis-Praslin. The creator of the praline is believed to be his personal chef, Clement Lassagne. French settlers brought the recipe for this sweet confection to Louisiana, and specifically New Orleans. The original recipe used almonds; however, cooks soon began substituting the nuts of the native Louisiana pecan trees. As a thriving port city, people from all over the world came through New Orleans, and it didn’t take long for the praline recipe to spread across the country.
Recipe Servings: 30
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Total Time
30 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1½ cups brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- ¼ cup (½ stick) butter
- 2 cups almonds or hazelnuts, toasted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
- Combine the sugar, brown sugar, and milk in a large saucepan.
- Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring often, for about 11 minutes or until a candy thermometer reaches 228°F.
- Add the butter and pecans, stirring constantly until the mixture reaches 236°F.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Beat the mixture using a wooden spoon for 1–2 minutes or just until it begins to thicken.
- Drop the mixture, quickly, by heaping tablespoonfuls onto parchment.
- Let pralines stand until firm.
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