Pralines: New Orleans School of Cooking

One of the many must-experiences in New Orleans is a praline from the New Orleans School of Cooking. They sell them in their General Store where you can watch them being made but you can also make them at home. The great thing is, even if you screw it up, your mixture will be fantastic served on vanilla ice cream or right off the spoon. By the way, Harriet at the New Orleans School of Cooking says to make sure you use a wooden spoon. A metal spoon will get too hot to hold onto!

Ingredients

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup milk
• 6 tablespoons butter (3/4 stick)
• ½ cup pecans (roasted optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, “achieving a “softball stage” (between 238-240 degrees).
2. Remove from heat. Stir constantly until mixture becomes creamy and cloudy. Pecans should stay suspended in the mixture.
3. Spoon out on buttered parchment or waxed paper. When using waxed paper, be sure to buffer with newspaper underneath, as hot wax will transfer to whatever is underneath.