This is incredible. I have been eating so many kinds of home made candies throughout my life. I have had fudges, chocolates, hard candies and caramels. I have had Easter candies, Christmas candies and Halloween candies, but I had never had “Pralines”. Sure I had praline ice cream, but didn’t really know what pralines were.
Then I went to Savannah for the first time in my life. Believe it or not, I was going for a medical conference. Can you believe it? I was going to Savannah for a work related meeting that my employer was paying for. After arriving in Savannah and checking in at the hotel where the conference was being held, I was off. I was headed straight to the “Market” . This is where I found my new obsession. Pralines!
Of course I ordered a box of them after my free sample that they made fresh right in front of me. I was off to the register when I found they also had a little gem called “gophers”. Basically it was like a candy my mom made when I was younger. “Turtles”. These appeared to be inside out turtles, so I bought a pound of them too. The cashier asked if I’d like to taste the chocolate pralines? Chocolate? Me? UMMMMM….YES!!!! So now I found heaven, and as you can see, I found a recipe and now they are mine to make. Once you try these, you will be hooked too. I hope you enjoy.
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown or maple sugar
1/2 cup light cream (light whipping cream or 1/2 and 1/2)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup pecans, broken into small pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugars, cream and salt. Stirring constantly, cook the mixture over medium heat until it reaches 228 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
Add chocolate, butter and pecans, and, stirring constantly, cook the mixture to the soft-ball stage — 234 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla extract; let the candy cool for 5 minutes. Beat the candy for 10 to 15 seconds, or until it thickens slightly.
Using a large spoon, immediately drop the mixture in mounds onto buttered plates or wax paper. If the mixture becomes too thick to drop. stir in a tablespoonful of hot water to thin it.
I fell in love at Market Street in Charleston, South Carolina. I have been looking for “the” perfect recipe. Yours sounds like it might be right there!! Wish me luck..