Taking over several buildings in the eight hundred block of Rue Bienville in the French Quarter, Count (an honorary title) Arnaud Cazenave in 1918 began to build a monument to the sensual pleasure of fine dining. The menu was and remains extensive, with nine oyster appetizers, fifty-one seafood entrees, and forty vegetables (among them potatoes prepared sixteen ways), it defined French-Creole cuisine for decades.
Every native Orleanian has fond memories of watching the making of pecan pralines; all also affirm their recipe to be the definitive Orleans confection. Consequently, a myriad of recipes abound in various cookbooks sharing one common thread: they are conspicuously short on directions for successful technique. To ensure success, pre-measure and assemble all the ingredients before you begin melting the sugars. Be extremely careful of this boiling-hot mixture; if splashed, it will stick to the skin and continue burning. Keep children and dogs away from the kitchen and see the note below for Things That Can go Wrong.
Yield: about 36 (2-inch) candies
Softened butter or non-stick vegetable oil spray
2 cups ripe, shelled pecans
1/4 cup (2 ounces, 1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 (l4 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup water
2 teaspoons vanilla (we prefer Mexican vanilla)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread several large sheets of waxed paper on a flat surface. Spread the papers evenly with softened butter, or spray with a non-stick vegetable spray.
Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes, until slightly golden and aromatic (watch carefully and do not scorchl). Break into pebble-sized pieces if necessary.
Place a deep and heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and as soon as it has melted, stir in the granulated and brown sugars, the sweetened condensed milk and the water. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes, until all the sugar has dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil. Continue boiling and stirring for 15 to 20 minutes until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer, also known as the "softball" stage. Add the pecans.
As you approach the proper temperature, the candy gets thicker and the bottom of the pan can be seen as you stir. Drop a small test praline on the waxed paper, If it is very shiny and stays shiny, keep cooking and stirring.
When the proper temperature is reached the pralines will suddenly become quite stiff, so work fast. Spoon out rounds onto the waxed paper, spreading gently until flat and about 2-inches in diameter. Let cool.
Store in a tightly covered container. They will keep several weeks. Uncovered, they will succumb to humidity and become sticky.
THINGS THAT CAN GO WRONG
- If the praline mixture is undercooked, the result will be a shiny, sticky mess that resembles caramel sauce (which it is). Either use a a wonderful ice cream topping, or try scraping back into the pan, then reheat to the correct temperature. However there is no guarantee it will reconstitute.
- If it is overcooked, the praline mixture will result in grainy, sugary crunchy pralines The solution? Crumble and use as a topping for sweet potato casserole or scatter over ice cream.
