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.

Apple-Cinnamon and Pecan Pie Pops

Two weeks ago, I made some tiny little pie pops for the speakeasy. I sold them separately for people who wanted to bring some home for loved ones, and they were quite a hit. When I do these again, I will probably do only super-sweet pies because the ratio of crust to filling is strongly in the crust's favor. You need a filling that would normally smack you in the face, like cherry pie or pumpkin pie. The pecan pie worked very nicely as well, and I highly recommend that.

Here are the supplies you need to pursue a similar project:

• Ingredients for regular pie filling (or you can do store-bought, but you're hella cheating), cut into one quarter the amount
• Pre-rolled pie crust
• Lollipop sticks (you can buy these at Michael's)
• Rolling pin
• Patience. Worlds of patience.
• A cookie cutter, about the size of caramel apple pop

This is how they'll look before they go in the oven.

Some of the filling may spill out. It's okay.

And here is me making sure to secure the sticks in place.

The final product! Well worth the effort!

Pecan was by far my favorite, so I'll give instructions for that.

Pecan Pie Pops

inspired by bakerella

Ingredients: 

What is listed above (pie crust, lollipop sticks, rolling pin, etc.)

For filling:

1/3 cup dark corn syrup (I use half corn syrup and half molasses)

1 egg, beaten

1/3 cup sugar

2/3 tbsp butter, melted and cooled

1/3 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup chopped pecans (dice these if possible)

For brushing: 

1 egg white

brown sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Mix all filling ingredients together in one bowl (I love how easy pecan pie is).

2. Roll out the crust and use a cookie cutter or biscuit cutter to cut out circles in the dough. Make sure you have enough for the top and bottom of the pie pops. 

3. Place one circle down and press the lollipop stick into the middle of the circle to secure it in place. Place about 1/2 tbsp of filling into the CENTER of the circle. 

4. Take another circle and place it on top of the bottom circle, pressing into onto the lollipop stick. Then press the top onto the bottom with the end of the lollipop stick to make a pretty design. 

5. Use a pastry brush to cover the top crust with an egg white and then sprinkle with brown sugar.

6. Place back in the fridge for a few minutes before baking to set up. 

NOTE: You may need to place the dough back in the fridge before putting the top circle on. This is because the crust is much easier to deal with when it is cold. 

7. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned, just before the juices start to bubble (this timing is an art that takes practice).