Happy Holidays from the team at Meld Financial! As a gift to our clients and all of you in this unconventional holiday season, Lynn Campisi will show you, step by step, how to make authentic New Orleans Pecan Pralines. These are the same delicious pralines that we provide our guests each year at our ‘Open House’ holiday party. This recipe has been passed down through Lynn’s family for generations, and as you may already know, the results are delicious!
These are the absolute best New Orleans Style Pecan Pralines! Enjoy as Lynn walks you through the entire process here:
Ingredients and Equipment
The first step with this recipe is to make sure you have the right tools and supplies before you get started cooking. To make the perfect New Orleans Style Pecan Praline, you will need the following tools:
- Medium sized, heavy pot
- Large Spoon for Stirring
- Can Opener or “Church Key”
- 1 c Measuring Cup
- ½ tsp Measuring Spoons
- Wax Paper
- Small Knife to cut butter
To make the candy you will also need the following ingredients:
- Servings: 30
- 2 Cups Brown Sugar
- 2 Cups White Sugar
- 1 Cup Evaporated (canned) Milk
- 4 Tbs Butter
- ½ Tsp. Vanilla
- 2-3 Cups Pecans Halves
Cooking the Pralines
Step 1:
Mix 2 cups of brown sugar, 2 cups of white sugar, and 1 cup of evaporated milk in your saucepan. Then cook this mixture over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
Step 2:
Add 4 tbs. of butter, ½ tsp. of vanilla, and your 2-3 cups of pecans. Continue stirring throughout this process. Continue cooking until the candy thermometer reaches 240° (softball stage) and then remove from the heat. Let the pecans float to the top (no more than 5 minutes).
Step 3:
Lay out your wax paper and apply baking spray to prevent sticking. After the mix has set for 5 minutes stir vigorously with your large spoon until the mixture just begins to lose its gloss. This is the critical moment where all the world stops outside of pralines. Quickly drop pralines by the spoonful onto your wax paper. Let cool for 15-20 minutes and voila!
Enjoy, and Happy Holidays from the Meld Financial Team!