CHOCOLATE PECAN PRALINES

      Title: CHOCOLATE PECAN PRALINES - PRUDHOMME
  Categories: Cajun, Candies
       Yield: 24 Servings
  
   1 1/2    Sticks unsalted butter
       1 c  Sugar
       1 c  Packed, light brown sugar
       1 c  Milk
     1/2 c  Heavy cream
       1 c  Coarsely chopped pecans
       2 c  Whole pecan halves
       2 tb Vanilla extract
   1 1/2 c  Semisweet chocolate chips
  
   NOTE: Chocolate chips should be chilled.
      Assemble all the ingredients and utensils before starting to cook.
   (Measure out the chocolate chips and keep them refregerated until just
   before needed.)  You will need a large, heavy-bottomed aluminum pot or
   skillet with deep sides, a long-handled metal whisk or spoon, 2 large
   spoons (or an ice cream scoop with a manual release) and a very
   lightly greased cookie sheet. Melt the butter in the pot over high
   heat; add the sugars, milk, cream and chopped pecans.  cook 5
   minutes, whisking constantly.  reduce heat to medium, and continue
   cooking and whisking 10 minutes.
    Add the pecan halves and continue whisking and cooking until done,
   about 8 to 10 minutes.  (If the mixture smokes excessively toward end
   of cooking time, lower thge heat.) Stir in vanilla. then immediately
   drop about 1/4 cup of chocolate chips into about one-sixth of the
   batter. Stir quickly and just enough to cover some of the chips with
   batter but not nenough to allow the chips to melt.  Quickly drop the
   chocolate mixture onto the cookie sheet by heaping spoonfuls, using
   the second spoon to push the batter off the first (or use ice cream
   scoop); each praline should be about 2 inches in diameter and 1/2
   inch thick. repeat with remaining mixture, stirring briefly before
   adding more chocolate chips.  The cooled pralines should be light
   brown, opaque, somewhat chunky and crumbly. LAGNIAPPE: To clean the
   pot and utensils, boil water in the pot with the utensils in it. This
   will melt the batter off. From Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen.
[ add our full cookbook to your website ] [ Search The Cookbook ]