New Orleans Pralines

     New Orleans pralines are one of my favorite confections which you can find in any French Quarter shop. I gotta, tell you the best pralines are made by my wife. She got her recipe from Mrs. Lee Estes at Destrehan Plantation. There are many stories how pralines came about in New Orleans. Here’s one such story.

     It was believed that pralines were brought over from France by the Ursuline nuns, who came to New Orleans around 1727.  The nuns were in charge of the casket girls, young women sent over from France to marry New Orleans’ colonists.  They were called Casket Girls (les Filles a la Casette) because each came to the city furnished with a casket-box filled with all their worldly possessions.

     The nuns instructed the girls to be upstanding women in society and in the course of their studies and domestic education, the girls were taught the art of praline making

Katie’s Pralines

1 box light brown sugar

1 cup white granulated sugar

1 small can evaporated milk

¼ teaspoon salt

1 stick of butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon White Karo Syrup

1 ½ lbs Pecans

Wax paper –several sheets

In a sauce pan combine brown and white sugar, Karo syrup, evaporated milk, salt and butter.

Bring to a boil. About 8 minutes stirring constantly.

Remove from heat. Add pecans and vanilla. Let cool slightly & beat with a spoon till it starts to lose its gloss

Drop by spoonful onto wax paper. Note: If mixture starts to cool and harden too quickly reheat on stove top for a minute, then resume making pralines

Once cooled, remove from wax paper and wrap individually in wax paper.