Creamy New Orleans style Pecan Pralines

A few months ago a co-worker, Dorian Sibert, made a trip to New Orleans and brought back, Pecan Pralines.  Now, I am certain I had these candies before in my life and I was in no hurry to collect my share of the sweet confection.  My past experience was of an oddly flavored rather sticky lump of goo.  However, as my co-workers began to, ooh and ahh, my curiosity got the best of me and I nabbed on to one of the creamy pieces.  This didn’t look like I remembered, one taste and oh, my, this, this is not at all what I recalled.  This was a creamy, crunchy, buttery, sweet bite of heaven.  Thus began my journey to recreate this confectionary delight.  After many failed attempts and more lumps of goo than is respectable, I managed to piece to gather enough bits of info from various sources to produce the candy that had captured my attention.  Don’t let anyone tell you these are made with shortening, water, or canned milk, they most definitely are not.  You need to prepare in advance and work fast but, it is worth it!

HERE’S A FEW TIPS BEFORE YOU GET STARTED!

• Make sure that you line your cookie sheet with parchment paper BEFORE you start the candy. 
• Make sure that the butter that you use is salted!
• Have a candy thermometer on hand.
• Do not use a stick-free sauce pan. There is a lot of whisking!

 Ingredients

• 1½ cup chopped pecans
• 7 1/2 tbsp salted butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup of half  & half 
• 1 tbls pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Lighty toast pecans in 1/2 tbls of butter in a heavy skillet set aside.
2. Combine the 7 tbls of butter,  both sugars, and half in half into a large saucepan, mix well on low heat for 2 minutes.
3. Turn the heat up to medium and bring the candy mixture to 180 F, then stop stirring and let the candy mixture cook to 245 F (about 3-5minutes) without stirring
4. When temp reaches 245, add in the vanilla extract, and stir.
5. Remove from the heat.
6. Toss in the pecans, and fold in.
7. Grab a wooden spoon, and stir the hot candy mixture until it thickens (this will happen quickly).
8. Spoon out the candy mixture onto parchment paper in 2 in piles, you won't have long once the candy has started to set, work fast!
9. Let the candy cool completely.
10. Enjoy!