Gathering the ingredients and making the pralines were pretty easy but the recipe needs more clearer instructions. I had a hard time with melting the sugar at medium heat because it wouldn't melt and took the longest time to liquify I would put it in between 7 and 8 (heat on the stove). Also the instructions weren't too clear of how long to heat the liquid sugars (I would say about 5 minutes without stirring) and dropping them by the spoonfuls I had half my batch seize up on me and they didn't turn out into pralines cookies...more like pecan praline crumbles. Finger Food anyone? Overall in the end the Pralines were a hit (the ones that made it out...the crumbled pralines weren't that big)
As written, this recipe is a 1 or a 2, not because of taste, but because of presentation. If made as directed, they will crumble to bits. I am from New Orleans, where the pecan praline originated, and we NEVER put our pralines on wax paper. The heat from the hot liquid will melt the wax right onto the surface, making them impossible to remove, without breaking into bits and pieces. In New Orleans we use one of 2 surfaces-either a marble slab (done by most of the shops in the French Quarter that do demonstrations) or parchment paper. I also added a teaspoon of vanilla because we love vanilla. I only cooked them over the stove for 1-2 minutes. One to 2 minutes will yield light creamy tan pralines. Cooking them 5 or minutes will turn the sugar mixture a dark brown, which is still good to taste, just not that visually appealing. Also, these will come out waif thin, which is how they serve them in New Orleans, rather than as a big puffed cookie type. For thicker cookie like ones, just use less liquid. With modifications I think this recipe is a 5. It is the way I have seen them made since I was a little girl.
Very good! However, I did add about 1/4 tsp vanilla extract to the mix to give them a little better flavor. I cooked mine on medium-high heat to speed up the process, and to keep them from running all over the place I waited about ten seconds after taking them off the burner before dropping the first.
When I thought these were done cooking, I dropped the first few onto sheets, and they were too runny. I put the mixture back on the stove for a few seconds and they seized up. Be very careful about how long you let these cook. I also might add a tiny pinch of salt or use salted butter. Overall they tasted pretty good.
I followed the original recipe with no modifications to the ingredients and my attempt was very successful. The only change that I implemented was placing the mounds of mixture on parchment paper instead of "generously buttered" cookie sheets/pans and they lifted perfectly and the clean-up was a snap. I think that I may add a bit of vanilla next time around and would also suggest waiting about 10 seconds before dropping the praline mixture. Thank you (and your Mom) for this recipe.
Great recipe! Please try it!
Taste- 5 stars; Directions: 3 stars; This was my first try at pecan pralines. I just got a wild hair to try them and for my first try they turned out pretty good. The only change I made was using Splenda instead of sugar ( only because I don't keep sugar in my pantry). A note for other first tryers: Don't over cook these or they become "pecan bricks" instead of pecan pralines. Thanks!
Well I guess I should have read the other review before trying this! I may have not waited long enough but seize up on me it did! Oh well sugar nuts = good:) no matter what shape it is in:)
Recipe needs more guidance (i.e. length of time to boil). I followed this recipe but added 1/4 tsp vanilla extract; however mixture was extremely runny it never "seized" up like others said.
