New Orleans satisfies its sweet tooth with pralinesa candy made from sugar, cream, butter, and nuts.
In the saucepan, combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, and half-and-half.
Cook over medium-high heat to boiling, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to dissolve sugars.
Credit: Blaine Moats
(This should take 6 to 8 minutes.)
Avoid splashing the mixture on sides of the pan.
Heat to Soft-Ball Stage
Carefully clip a candy thermometer to pan.
Reaching soft-ball stage should take 16 to 18 minutes.
Stir Vigorously
Remove pan from heat.
Add butter but do not stir.
Cool, without stirring, to 150F.
(This should take about 30 minutes.)
Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until candy just begins to thicken but is still glossy.
This should take about 3 minutes.
Portion Candies
Working quickly, drop candy by spoonfuls onto parchment or waxed paper.
If candy becomes too stiff to drop, stir in a few drops of hot water.
When firm, store in a tightly covered container.
Makes about 36 pralines.
Freeze for up to three months for longer storage.
2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
