What to do if pralines won't harden?

sometimes I have no idea why they won't harden. But if your pralines are still gooey after 30-40 minutes, you may have to scrape them back into the pan and heat them again . Add a tablespoon of milk, melt the sugar, and as before, stir constantly while you bring them to a boil.

How to keep pralines from being grainy?

Avoid The Humidity But they get it done, somehow. 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. While delicious, my first batch never did fully harden.

How long do pralines last?

Our Pralines will stay fresh for about 3 weeks . Our Tortues stay fresh for about a month. Our barks and anything totally enrobed in chocolate, (like the Jackson Squares and Toffee) will stay fresh for 2 months.

How do you soften hard pralines?

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 .

Why isn't my candy getting hard?

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.

Why do pralines turn white?

Pralines are a much-appreciated festive treat, but come to think of it, they're simply delicious at any time of the year. When your pralines turn white, you are seeing the recrystallization of sugar . And you are right that honey does technically slow down the rate at which crystals form in candy.

How do you stop pralines from crystallizing?

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.

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 .

Why does my hard candy get soft?

When the weather is hot or humid, it may take longer for the candy to cool, or it can absorb excess moisture from the air , which might cause the sugar to crystallize or the texture to soften instead of becoming hard and crisp.

Why did my praline crystallise?

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 .

Master This Classic Southern Candy in 6 Steps! (2024)

Recipes
Desserts
Desserts By Type
Candy

These real Southern pecan pralines are a rich, crunchy, candy-coated dream!

Steve-Anna Stephens

Steve-Anna’s recipes are often inspired by her Southern heritage. She contributed to Simply Recipes early on and is a friend of founder, Elise Bauer.

Learn about Simply Recipes'Editorial Process

Updated November 29, 2023

9 Ratings

In This Recipe

What Are Pralines?
How to Make Pralines
Tips and Tricks
How to Store
See Also
Frequently Asked Questions | Aunt Sally's Pralines FAQs 4 Tips to Mastering Our Praline Recipe How to make great caramel
How to Freeze

Growing up in our house it was generally understood that if there were no more pecans in the can of salted mixed nuts, it was because I got to it first. As a rule, I’m more inclined to go for the salty than the sweet.

In fact, I’m not much for candy in general, but anything with sugar and nuts is tempting. And if the nuts happen to be pecans, well, get out of the way.

So if you’re from the South (or if you’ve ever visited the South) and you’ve tasted pecan pralines, you would be correct in assuming that these are one of my all-time favorite sweets.

The crunchy pecans and the rich, buttery sauce give them a distinct flavor that takes me straight back to the South, no matter where I am.

Master This Classic Southern Candy in 6 Steps! (1)

What Are Pralines?

Candied nuts have been around for ages, but the praline is generally considered to hail from France. French settlers brought the original recipe—which consisted of individual almonds coated in caramelized sugar—to Louisiana, where chefs substituted locally abundant pecans for the almonds and added cream to make what is now known throughout the South as pecan pralines.

Master This Classic Southern Candy in 6 Steps! (2)

How to Make Pralines

Back home in Alabama, pecans are easy to come by. When I moved to Tucson, imagine my delight when I discovered pecan groves thriving in the desert!

There are as many different ways to make pecan pralines as there are ways to pronounce them. Some traditional recipes call for evaporated milk, while others use cream, regular milk, or even buttermilk.

Some people prefer chopped pecans instead of pecan halves, and some like to lightly toast the nuts first. You can make them with or without vanilla, or add your favorite liqueur.

Keep in mind that these are candy, not cookies, and they are very sweet. Do you have a favorite recipe for, or a favorite memory of, pecan pralines?

Tips for Making the Best Pralines

Wear long sleeves to protect your arms from stray candy bubbles. Sugar burns are painful, so take care, especially with children around.
It’s better to start on a moderate heat setting and raise the temperature slowly than to cook the candy too hot, too fast. If a hot drop lands on your arm, rinse it off immediately and rub the spot with an ice cube to prevent a burn.
I highly recommend using a candy thermometer, preferably digital, to carefully monitor the temperature during the cooking process.
Traditional Southern recipes say never make these on a rainy day! Humidity and moisture can affect the finished texture of the candies.

Master This Classic Southern Candy in 6 Steps! (3)

How to Store Pralines

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.

Pralines ship very well, so they make a good care package gift!

How to Freeze Pralines

To freeze pralines, wrap them in aluminum foil and place them in a zipper top bag or freezer container. The pralines are still a bit delicate when frozen, so don't stack other things on top of them and make sure they're in a part of the freezer where they won't get smashed.

To serve, remove the pralines from the freezer and let them thaw on the counter for several hours before unwrapping.

Master This Classic Southern Candy in 6 Steps! (4)

Mastered Pecan Candy? Try These Next!

English Toffee
Easy Peanut Butter Fudge
Homemade Chocolate Truffles
Sesame Brittle
Easy Fantasy Fudge

Pecan Pralines

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time40 mins

Servings24 servings

If you can't find light cream, substitute half-and-half, which has a similar fat content.

Wear long sleeves to protect your arms from stray candy bubbles. Sugar burns are painful, so take care, especially with children around.

Ingredients

2 cups pecan halves
1 1/4 cups white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch kosher salt, optional (omit if using salted butter)
3/4 cup light cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon brandy or vanilla, optional

Special Equipment

Candy thermometer

Method

Toast the pecans:
This is an optional step, which gives the nuts a richer, nuttier flavor. Preheat oven to 300°F. Place pecan halves on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast for 10 minutes, turning once. Let cool.
Prepare the baking sheets:
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat and set aside.
Cook the sugars, baking soda, and light cream:
Mix together white and brown sugar and baking soda (and pinch salt, if using unsalted butter) in a 3-quart saucepan. Stir in light cream and place over medium to medium-high heat. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan.
Cook, whisking occasionally, until mixture reaches 235°F on a candy thermometer (about 25 minutes). Slight foaming and occasional bubbling in the mixture (it looks like it’s gasping) are normal at this stage.
Add the butter:
As soon as the temperature reaches 235°F, add the butter and stir until the butter is fully melted and the mixture is well combined (about 1 minute).
Remove the pan from the heat and add the pecans and brandy or vanilla:
Off the heat, stir in the brandy or vanilla, if using, and pecans until well coated. Continue stirring to cool slightly (about 30 seconds).
Quickly drop mixture by the spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets:
Let cool completely until the pralines lift easily from the pan (about 45 minutes).
Store in an airtight container for three to five days.

Candy
Mardi Gras
Gluten-Free
Pecans
Southern

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
145	Calories
9g	Fat
17g	Carbs
1g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories	145
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g	11%
Saturated Fat 2g	9%
Cholesterol 7mg	2%
Sodium 33mg	1%
Total Carbohydrate 17g	6%
Dietary Fiber 1g	3%
Total Sugars 17g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg	1%
Calcium 18mg	1%
Iron 0mg	1%
Potassium 54mg	1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.