Toffee and Pralines, Pralines, Pralines, Pralines

Of course, the New Orleans cookbook will have great pralines recipes. And toffee. I glossed over the recipes with racist slur names, the recipes with that great yellow turd Velveeta and the many chicken livers n giblets recipes. But the pralines? Oh yes.

English Toffee

3 cups sugar

1 1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup water

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup chopped almonds

Cook sugar, butter, water and salt, stirring to keep from scorching. Boil to 285 on candy thermometer. Remove from heat, stir in nuts lightly. Pour in thin layers on greased or buttered cookie sheets. 

Can add chocolate chips to hot toffee and let melt a few minutes then spread with knife. Cut into pieces when cold. 

Buttermilk Pralines

3 cups sugar

3 TBS Karo

1 tsp soda

pinch salt

1 cup buttermilk

In very large pan, cook all ingredients until 238 degrees. Remove from burner and when bubbles stop add:

1 stick butter

1 tsp vanilla

Cook a bit longer then add 2 cups pecans. Beat until a dull sheen and drop from spoon onto wax paper. 

Pralines

2 cups dark brown sugar

2 cups white sugar

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1/4 cup water

1 cup powdered sugar

1 TBS butter

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups pecans

Boil together brown sugar, white sugar, milk and water until mixture threads. Remove from stove, add powdered sugar, butter and vanilla. Beat until almost sugar, add pecans. Drop by spoonful onto wax paper. 

Pecan Pralines 75 year old recipe (as of 1967) 

3 cups sugar

3 TBS karo

3/4 cup pet milk with 1/2 cup water

2 tsp vanilla

2 TBS butter

1 1/2 cup pecans

Cook sugar, syrup, milk and water until 216-236 degrees, stirring constantly. Cook until soft ball stage. Remove from heat, let cook a few minutes then add vanilla and pecans. Beat until candy holds a shape. Drop onto wax paper.

Aunt Eva's Pralines by Mrs. Andree Dessommes

2 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 cup pecans

3/4 cup milk

1 cup water

1/4 cup butter

Mix milk with white sugar. In another pan cook water with brown sugar. When both form soft ball stage mix together with butter and pecans. Beat until thick and drop by spoonful onto wax paper. Wrap separately when cool.