Pecan Pralines

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Toast the pecans on a baking sheet for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once, until fragrant. Let them cool. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
2. Put the granulated sugar, brown sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt in a heavy 4-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the sugars dissolve and the mixture boils. Clip on a candy thermometer so the tip does not touch the bottom of the pan.
3. Boil, stirring often so the milk does not scorch, until the thermometer reads 236°F to 238°F, 8 to 12 minutes.
4. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the vanilla and pecans.
5. Stir steadily for 2 to 4 minutes, until the candy thickens, turns slightly cloudy and just starts to lose its shine. It should mound softly on the spoon. Stop as soon as you see this, because it sets fast.
6. Working quickly, drop heaping tablespoons onto the parchment, about 2 inches apart. If the candy stiffens in the pan, warm it over very low heat for 15 to 20 seconds and stir until it loosens.
7. Let the pralines sit at room temperature until firm and no longer shiny, about 30 minutes.

Good to know

• Storage: stack them in an airtight tin with parchment between the layers and keep them at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. White streaks that appear with time are just sugar.
• No candy thermometer? Drop a little syrup into a glass of ice water. At the right stage it forms a soft ball that flattens when you pick it up.
• Pick a dry day if you can, because humid weather can keep pralines from setting. If they stay soft, scrape them back into the pan with 2 tablespoons of water, bring them back up to 238°F and stir again.