Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Pralines

Flavor: This is not your Sees Candy kind of praline. Yes, there is a hint of sweet to them, but the pecan is far more dominant, flavor-wise. I'll give it another couple of goes, but it looks like the palate of 1896 in Boston preferred something a bit less sweet and substantially more nutty.

Difficulty: This will take work to get right. As an example, when the nuts hit the candy it sets up in what seems like milli-seconds.. Yet again, easy and reasonably fast. If it sets up too fast you MAY be able to get away with reheating the "crumbles" in 1 minute blasts in a buttered glass dish - your mileage may vary with this salvage technique. CAUTION: Like any hot sugary candy, this stuff will stick to you like napalm when it's hot - be careful!

How close did I stick to the original?: Pretty darned close. I'm not aware of any variation in my technique from the original. Maybe that I used a gas stove?

Pralines



1-7/8 cups Powdered Sugar 2 cups hickory nut or pecan meat cut in pieces
1 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup cream



Boil first three ingredients until, when tried in cold water, a sot ball may be formed (typically 238F). Remove from fire and beat until of a creamy consistency; add nuts, and drop from the tip of spoon in small piles on buttered paper.

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