Cross between a candy and a cookie, with the texture of soft fudge. They are usually very sweet and crammed with pecans.
Although pralines are a remarkably simple confection—nothing more than almonds coated with caramelized sugar—they caused a sensation when they were invented at the beginning of the seventeenth century in France: their flavour was extolled in poems, and they are even reputed to have facilitated several diplomatic ventures undertaken by the Marshall Plessis-Praslin, a minister to both Louis XIII and Louis XIV. It was Plessis-Praslin’s cook, in fact, who invented pralines, and it was Plessis-Praslin himself who selflessly gave the last half of his surname to the confection. In time, however, the French changed the spelling of praslin to praline, and it was in this form that English borrowed the name in the early eighteenth century.
A confection consisting of brown sugar and nutty kernels – commonly pecans – boiled in unison, and subsequently scooped up by the spoonful and ladled onto a cool slab to solidify.
Enter the realm of confectionery delight, where almonds or pecans harmoniously unite with caramelized sugar to create a tempting treat. Renowned for its versatility, this confection serves as a popular filling for chocolates, adding both flavor and ornamental charm to a variety of desserts. Additionally, it shares its name with a delectable French candy, consisting of a luscious almond enveloped within a delicate sugar coating. In the southern region of the United States, this confection takes on a delightful twist as pecans step in as a delightful substitute for almonds. Transforming into flat, round drop candies, pecans lend their distinct character to this regional variation of the confection. Indulge in these sweet morsels and allow your taste buds to revel in their delectable symphony.