Pralines
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 1/4 cups pecan pieces (5 oz), toasted
Special equipment: a candy thermometer with a clamp
Butter a 9-inch square metal baking pan.
• Sift granulated sugar through a sieve into a bowl to remove any lumps or large crystals.
• Then rub brown sugar through sieve into bowl.
• Pour sugars into a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan, being careful not to get sugar on side of pan.
• Add cream, butter, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook over very low heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon and washing down any sugar crystals on side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water, until sugar is dissolved (do not let simmer) for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Clamp on candy thermometer and then boil syrup over moderately high heat, undisturbed, until it registers 236 degrees F and a teaspoon of syrup dropped into a small bowl of cold water holds a very soft ball when pressed between your fingers, 3 to 6 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat, leaving thermometer in place, and cool, leaving undisturbed until syrup registers 220 degrees F for 1 to 3 minutes.
• Stir syrup with a cleaned and dried wooden spoon until thickened and creamy for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Then immediately stir in pecans.
• Working very fast (syrup hardens quickly), pour it into a baking pan, scraping the sides of the saucepan with your wooden spoon.
• Let mixture harden at room temperature for about 45 minutes.
• Cut and break into pieces.
Yield: 1 ½ dozen 2-inch pieces
Tags: pralines
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