My San Francisco Quest for the Perfect Southern Pralines

In case you couldn't tell by my terrible lack of updates, I have been running around like a madwoman this holiday season. I've been expanding my selection to fit some custom orders (peanut butter and jelly cookies anyone? Or how about ginger-nutmeg tea cakes? With handmade candied ginger. BAM! You got it!) as well as trying out my hand at making some southern candy for my own gifts to loved ones.

Take, for instance, these southern pralines:

They're aaalmost where I want them to be. I just have to get them a bit thicker, which means moving a bit faster.

What are southern pralines, you ask? I don't know if they have a comparison to California candies... They taste like caramel-drenched, toasted pecans and are a bit chewy, but more crumbly when you bite into them. Then as you chew them, the sugar melts on your tongue. After you've eaten them, the caramel flavors linger, leaving your mouth warm and full of nutty-syrupy sweetness. Oh my, I'm terribly sorry, I got carried away there... The point is: they're worth trying.

But making them at home is another story. Candy is, after all, serious business. It requires speed, dexterity, and a lot of intuition. Candy thermometers are only so accurate. Sometimes you just have to know. Which is much easier said than done, especially in my case.

Each year, I order a praline gift basket for my mom for Christmas. I always order from Savannah Sweets, a waterfront store that we stepped into one day on a trip to Savannah. They look like this:

So, yes, they are much prettier than mine. But I have faith that I will work up to this in approximately three more tries. In the meantime, all my friends are eating up the leftovers. I also happen to be putting the crumbles on top of my yogurt in the morning. Shhhh...

The recipe I am using is the traditional praline recipe from The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook. It's deceptively simple. Just make sure you have a candy thermometer. And if you don't, they're like five bucks.

Southern Pralines

Recipe Adapted from The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook

Makes about 24 pralines (just enough for gift-giving!)

Ingredients
2 cups sugar (I'm thinking of experimenting with other types of sugar, but the verdict is not yet out)
2 cups pecan halves
3/4 cup buttermilk (or use a substitute with whole milk and cream of tartar, vinegar, or lemon juice; just Google it)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients except the baking soda in a large saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring gently with a wooden spoon until sugar dissolves.
2. Cover and cook over medium heat 2-3 minutes to wash down sugar from the sides of the pan.
3. Uncover and cook to 234F (aka the "soft ball stage"), stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda quickly.
5. Beat with a wooden spoon just until it begins to thicken. It will lose its gloss.
6. This is where you have to work quickly: Drop by tablespoons onto greased wax paper; let stand until firm. That'll take at least 30 minutes.