This week’s SMS was chosen by Tess of Cookin Chemist: butterscotch pralines. I have to confess I’ve never had a praline and since I don’t like pecans, I wasn’t likely to try one this week. The recipe looked easy though, and since I did a rewind last week, I decided to bake along anyway. A few days ago I learned that my library was having a bake sale this weekend and since I adore my library and its enormous cookbook selection, I decided to help out, which meant I had the perfect outlet to share my pralines!
There was only one problem with Melissa’s praline recipe – it called for butterscotch chips. We’re not butterscotch fans and I knew if I bought a bag of the chips, the portion not used for this recipe would sit in my pantry forever. I decided to give the recipe a go omitting the butterscotch chips and see what happened. Unfortunately, the pralines never set up (they were still sticky even after cooling for much longer than the recipe indicated). I didn’t realize it at the time, having never made or tasted pralines, but these pralines looked nothing like they should have (photo evidence below) so it’s not too surprising they didn’t set.
I still didn’t want to buy the butterscotch chips so instead I turned to DamGoodSweet, a book I won in a giveaway last year which specializes in New Orleans desserts. Though I’ve never had them, I do know that pralines are associated with New Orleans and sure enough, there was a great recipe in the book. The ingredient list was short and didn’t include anything I didn’t already have on hand. These pralines were super easy to make (a good candy thermometer almost guarantees success!) and set up beautifully. I’ve included the recipe below for anyone who wants to try this version.
Shane doesn’t like pecans either so I didn’t have anyone to sample the pralines before I brought them to the library yesterday. It made me a bit nervous to share a goodie I hadn’t received any feedback on, but I crossed my fingers and went for it anyway 🙂 Fortunately, one of the women helping to run the bake sale bought a few of the pralines that broke in transit and declared them yummy, allowing me to breathe a huge sigh of relief. Many thanks to Tess for hosting this week! You can find the recipe for the butterscotch pralines on her blog or on pages 220-221 of the Sweet Melissa Baking Book.
Pralines
from DamGoodSweet by David Guas and Raquel Pelzel
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup plus 4 tablespoons heavy cream
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
2 cups pecan pieces
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt over medium-low heat. Add 1/2 cup of the cream and both sugars and continue cooking until the sugars are dissolved. Increase the heat to medium then simmer until the mixture reaches 240-250 F, using a rubber spatula to gently push the mixture back and forth in the middle and around the edges occasionally. (Though it didn’t happen when I made these, the authors note that you can add 2 more tablespoons of the cream to the pot if the mixture begins to crystallize and continue cooking until it loosens up.)
Add the pecans, remove the pan from the heat and give the mixture a final gentle stir. Use a wooden spoon to portion about 2 tablespoons of the praline mixture onto the prepared baking sheet for each candy, leaving at least 1 inch between them. If the mixture begins to crystallize and set up before you finish portioning all of the pralines, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream to the saucepan and set the pan over medium heat until the mixture is creamy, then continue portioning the candies. Cool for at least 30 minutes before transferring the pralines to an airtight container.
Yields about 3 dozen
I am not a fan of pralines, but everyone should have the experience of walking into a candy store in Savannah,Ga on River St and trying one fresh- they are just too sweet for me, although I do love pecans.
Good for you for finding a different recipe that worked- they look just like the ones I have seen in Savannah at the candy shops.
and how nice of you to share for the bake sale.
ps. I don’t like butterscotch chips either-so you are not alone!
Butterscotch chips in Pralines. To this southern girl that is BLASPHEMY!! Never heard of that – EVER!!!
Your second batch, however, looks divine. That recipe is very similar to the one I have used for years. And they are, to quote your cook book, Dam Good, Sweet.
I have a serious love of pralines! Er anything that sugary and covered in pecans. I love how determined you were to find a substitute recipe!
Interesting! I’m glad this worked for you with your adapted recipe. I was hesitant to use the butterscotch chips, too as were not big fans here either. Wish I had known about your take on the recipe earlier! They look great.
What beautiful pralines! I love how the ingredients are so simple – I will have to make these – as I love pecans! I also love bake sales… how great that you tried something that worked for “you”!
Yours are beautiful! Much more like what I think pralines look like. I am feeling better today and tried one and I don’t like them, too much butterscotch.
For a moment I thought I had died and gone to heaven, but it appears I was just looking at pralines on your blog… Those look absolutely scrumptious. I am going to print out this page and eat it. =-) Thank you for the recipe!
The Ardent Epicure
I have to say your pralines looked perfect! and I am sure they tasted even better! thanks for sharing your recipe and experience, I hope the bake sale was a success for your library!
I have a bunch of pecans that I need to use and this is the perfect way! I plan to make them tomorrow, using the recipe you posted rather than the one with butterscotch chips. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I loathe butterscotch chips and avoid recipes that call for them. Same goes for butterscotch pudding mix. Blech!
Your pralines are absolutely gorgeous! It wasn’t until I read your bit about the butterscotch chips that I realized I assumed to add the entire bag, which I did. The pralines were still fantastic but that may explain why mine were thicker than I expected.
I used the butterscotch chips and, while they were good, think I might try your version (or another traditional praline recipe) next time. Lovely pictures!
Your pralines look delish! I am impressed you went to so much trouble for something you didn’t even taste! That is dedication!
So glad you found a recipe that worked!! I liked the butterscotch in the pralines, I didn’t think it was too strong. It was definitely fun dusting off the candy thermometer!!
I’m not a huge fan of butterscotch either so I will like your alternative here Tracey.
Your pralines look great. I am so curious how the taste differs from the sms recipe. I also like the ratio of candy to pecan in your praline–I definitely like it on the nuttier side.
Thanks for sharing your alternative praline recipe. I was curious about what makes up a classic praline. I may try these in the future. I felt the like the butterscotch version was insanely sweet. Your pralines turned out beautiful! Nice job!
Tracey, there is humor in that my first ones looked like your first ones and our second ones were similar, if not the same.
As I was going through my setbacks, I kept hoping everyone was not going to come in and say, it worked perfectly, right away. I was feeling rather wobbly with what looked like an easy recipe.
Off to buy that candy thermometer.
Glad that they ended up working out for you! It was the first time that I had made them as well. I’ve ended up making tons of new desserts with SMS! Thanks for baking along with me!
It’s great to test variations…your pralines look good.
Thanks for your kind comments on my blog.
Carmen
Beautiful job on the pralines! DamGoodSweet sounds like a fun book. I love my library’s cookbook section, too, so I should see if they have it! The bake sale sounds like a fun event to get involved with.
Looks great- I wouldn’t have put in butterscotch chips either- yuck!
Looks like your perseverance paid off. Incredibly delicious!
What a great second batch and you helped out a worthy cause! I was worried about the butterscotch flavor but my husband loves them so all ended well.
I am sorry you had to make the recipe twice though. You always show great determination to make recipes work and are an inspiration for the rest of us! =0)
I’m impressed that you would make these twice even though you don’t like pecans! I had to skip these but your second version sounds really good so I would make those if I revisit this recipe.
I absolutely love pralines too and the first time I made them they never set properly either, but it was more about timing than ingredients. My recipe is more like, dump it all in a pot and cook to xyz temp. Then keep mixing after you take it off the stove until it gets a little cloudy and then spoon them onto parchment or waxed paper. As a New Orleanian, pralines with out pecans is just blasphemous, but I think I’ve seen people make them with almonds or hazelnuts before.
I was born in New Orleans, home of the praline, and I can’t stand them. I don’t know if it’s the nuts or the uber-sweet factor but they’re not my favorite. So, I think it’s great that you tried not one, but two (!!!) praline recipes. And I’ll agree with Margaret, butterscotch chips in pralines is just sheer blasphemy. I’m glad that you found a recipe that worked in DGS! By the way, I’ve been making the banana bread from that book and Dudley says it’s really good.
I just made these and they are amazing!! Thanks so much for an awesome recipe! They are addicting! 🙂 http://wp.me/pZ6s9-ZM
Praline is really one of my favorite candies. I can still remember how my mom taught us to bake one. It’s messy but it’s cute.