Frequently Asked Questions | Aunt Sally's Pralines (2024)

FAQs

How long do Aunt Sally's pralines last? ›

Our Creamy Pralines are more fudge-like and they will last for up to eight months from production. The expiration date is clearly printed on each wrapper. Our Chewy Pralines last about six weeks, depending upon the environment (humidity, temperature).

In hard candy making, it is important to cook all the water out of the sugar/corn syrup/water mixture. If the sugar mixture is not cooked to the proper temperature (the hard-crack stage 300-310° F {149-154° C.} or if you are working in a kitchen with high humidity, chances are your candy is retaining too much moisture.

Loretta's New Orleans Authentic Pralines

Loretta's are the best pralines. They are sweet, the pecans are huge, and they have the perfect texture that rides a line between lusciously creamy and pleasantly grainy.

Why are there white spots on my pralines? The white spots are a natural process called crystallization.

A little crystallization in pralines is inevitable but adding a bit of corn syrup can help keep crystals from forming. In this recipe I also butter the sides of the pot and only stir before the sugar comes to a boil.

Avoid The Humidity

Plan to make your pralines on a cool, dry day. If it's humid or rainy, as it was the first time I made pralines, the candy might end up with a more sugary, grainy texture.

Sometimes, as syrup boils, sugar starts to form back into crystals, which turn hard and cloudy. Crystallisation can be caused by stirring, or a grain of something other than sugar getting into the pan, or often just bad luck.

Since the problem is mostly that the sugar in the pralines gets hard and crystallized, you might try softening them the way you'd soften hard brown sugar. Place a terracotta sugar saver in the container or something else that's slightly damp, like a few slices of apple or a slice of fresh bread.

Just make sure you buy your nuts raw and not already roasted. The main reason for that is that we will cook the nuts in a pan for 10-15 min. If you do this with roasted nuts, they will end up being over-roasted and your praline will taste very bitter.

Can you overcook pralines? ›

Pralines should be cooked to 236°F (soft ball stage) so that it is still pliable when it cools and so it maintains the smooth sandy texture typical of pralines. This is impossible to determine without a thermometer, and if you overheat the sugar, you are guaranteed to make pralines that are too firm and grainy.

The good news is - if you end up with grainy pralines, you can break them up, put them back in the pot with a little cream or milk (a tablespoon or two), and heat them again. Maybe add 10-15 seconds to the boiling time to try and raise the temperature a little more.

Pralines are a major part of culinary New Orleans. Where they came from, and how they got here is another fascinating tale of the city. Let's begin with the no doubt apocryphal tale of the origin of the candy that became synonymous with the Crescent City.

Large, fresh pecan halves mixed with the finest, natural cream, butter and sugar. Order two boxes…one to give, one to enjoy. 10 Pralines, 2 oz.

Being that pecans are the main ingredient; the snack contains essential vitamins & minerals, can aid in long-term heart health, can be enjoyed by gluten intolerant consumers, can provide a high number of antioxidants, and can supply a large amount of protein & fiber.

Allow the pralines to cool completely, then store between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container. They will keep at room temperature, stored in a cool and dry place, for at least five days or longer.

Cool completely until set and the pralines have reached room temperature. Store in an airtight container on the counter for 2 weeks or freeze for up to 2 months.

How should you store pralines? They need to be kept around 60°F, at a relative humidity no more than 65% (Lesly Berger recommends 50%). While chocolate itself will keep in this environment for over a year, chocolates (i.e. chocolate candies) should be eaten the same day you buy them.

Store these in an airtight container at room temperature, between layers of wax paper or parchment paper or individually wrap them. They'll keep for up to two weeks. No refrigeration needed. And they are a great candy to ship as long as you pack them well to prevent breaking.