Pralines: Texan or Louisianan?

Whatever happened to the pralines you got after eating dinner at a Tex-Mex Restaurant? Remember? They came in a plastic envelope and you eagerly awaited the end of the meal when the waiter returned with the bill and the complementary pralines.

Pralines are a perfect dessert after eating spicy food. They are also a good dessert choice when you're feeding a crowd. You can arrange them in a decorative basket and let your guests help themselves, or you make them all fancy by placing them on doilies sprinkled with powdered sugar.

The confection made its way from Paris to New Orleans and into the hands of a head cook on a southern plantation. The abundance of native pecans in Louisiana dictated that almonds be eliminated from the recipe, and the pecan became the nut used instead, along with pure Louisiana cane sugar.

When the praline was introduced to Texas in the early 1900's, it made economic sense to prepare big batches of the candy and sell it to the ranchmen along the border. Pralines were inexpensive to make, and pecans were everywhere in South Texas. Mexican immigrants became pecan shellers and candy sellers even though, like many Tex-Mex traditions, pralines don't have anything to do with Mexico at all. Eventually, pralines made their way into Tex-Mex restaurants throughout the state as the perfect dessert to follow a fine enchilada dinner.

Pralines have also become a holiday tradition in Texas. They make great gifts. You can get very creative with some fancy packaging, prepare some traditional and chocolate pralines and give them as gifts to friends, family and neighbors.

Here is a traditional Tex-Mex praline recipe from Cooking Texas Style, A Heritage of Traditional Recipes by Candy Wagner and Sandra Marquez, published in 1983 by the University of Texas Press, as well as a recipe for chocolate pralines. I know you, your family and your friends will enjoy this traditional dessert "from Texas".

Pralines

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teas baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1-1/2 to 2 cups pecan halves
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Add butter and pecans and continue cooking over medium high heat until it reaches 234F degrees on a candy thermometer (soft ball stage). Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and allow to cool slightly --- about 2 minutes.

Beat the mixture until it begins to lose its gloss and is thick and creamy. Quickly drop into 2-inch mounds on waxed paper and allow to cool. If the mixture becomes too hard to beat, immerse pan in hot water for several minutes and proceed. Makes 2 dozen.

Milk Chocolate Pralines

• 3 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces milk chocolate morsels
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

If you have questions about this article or the recipes, contact us at moc.gnikoocsaxet@nibrof_solkim