Compliments of Tommy Rutherford, Newly Weds Foods Food Scientist
The maternal side of my family has been making these little pralines (“praw-lean” in my speak: in your speak it may be a “pray-lean”, which is incorrect) for at least 125 years. There was a time when my great great grandmother and great grandmother even sold them to local area restaurants. That was a time before me. I remember them as a Christmas time treat, along with divinity, fudge, brownies, sugar cookies, Italian fig cookies (cuccidati), Italian sesame seed cookies, nutty fingers, chocolate covered marshmallows with pecans (“pe-kahn” in my speak : in your speak it may be a “pee-can”, which is incorrect), and pecan cookies. The chocolate covered marshmallows with pecans are always my favorite. The candy making undertaking for baby Jesus’ birthday was, and is a family affair. Now my Aunt “T” helps my granny. I guess maybe I should learn so the tradition can continue. All the treats are made over the weeks leading to Christmas, and then shared with the family. Usually placed into tins. Many of these tins are older than me. Unlike a favorite dessert, I do not have a favorite tin. The pralines are a huge hit, and in high demand. I bring some to work and share them. Hence the request for the original recipe.
Recipe provided by Peggy Monti Rutherford in honor of Evelyn Taconi Monti – Jan 2016:
1st ingredient is Patience, 2nd, Patience, and 3rd, Patience.
It is best to get everything ready before you start. Especially if you are by yourself. Please read thru first and prepare as much as possible before you start. It is just easier. A heavy wooden spoon does really well to mix with. Cut the wax paper for wrapping while pralines are drying.
First mixture — Put in 3 quart heavy saucepan:
3 cups sugar
1 cup milk, you could use half cream and half water if desired
1/4 teaspoon salt
Second mixture (melted sugar) — use a heavy skillet:
1 cup sugar
Melt and brown slowly in heavy skillet — do NOT stir but shake pan to keep from burning — this has to be done slowly — very slowly
Both mixtures are put on the stove at the same time — both slow/low heat — first mixture should be just coming to a boil when sugar in skillet is melted.
Add melted sugar to first mixture, pouring and mixing very, very slowly. This will boil up and over if not added slowly.
After melted sugar is mixed in, let cook slowly about 15 minutes or until a small amount forms a soft ball in cold water. “We never had no candy thermometer, HUN”
When finished cooking, add 4 cups pecan pieces (go thru for shells), 1 teaspoon butter, and 2 teaspoons vanilla, and mix in. Remove pot from stove and let cool enough to put your hand on bottom of pot. Mix until creamy or getting hard.
Put out by tablespoon full onto wax paper, on top of thick newspaper, on a table, or you can use cookie sheets with wax paper on cookie sheet racks to cool. This makes about 36 pralines.
If praline gets too hard while putting out, you can put it back on stove and melt some.
After pralines are dry (they should pull off the wax paper pretty easily), you need to wrap each one in wax paper to make like a package, with paper folded in fan shape on top for about 2 folds then fold under each end. When they are completely cool, put in a tin lined with wax paper with enough left over to cover top. They keep well in the tin, if they last that long.
AND DON’T FORGET THE PATIENCE