Traditional Louisiana Pralines
1 1/2 cups tightly packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 cups pecans
In a medium heavy-bottom saucepan, combine sugars, evaporated milk, and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring with a wooden spoon until fully melted, about 10 minutes.
Add pecans carefully and stir to fully coat. Once temperature reaches about 228 degrees, remove from heat and place pan on a protective surface. At this point, the mixture will continue to heat a bit reaching about 235-240 degrees before beginning to cool. Let stand for 5-10 minutes.
Drop approximately a tablespoon of the mixture at a time on parchment paper. Pralines will settle into the circular shape.
Let cool and try to exercise self-control (although when there are warm pralines, self-control doesn't seem to be available).
Praline Sauce
1/4 cup corn syrup (for sauce)
When pralines have reached 235-240 degrees, add 1/4 cup corn syrup and stir well. The syrup will not allow the sugar to recrystallize to harden.
Praline Bacon
1 lb. thick cut bacon
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pecan pieces
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Place bacon strips on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake for about 10-12 minutes until bacon fat is rendering. Remove from oven, drain fat and reserve for later use.
Combine the brown sugar and pecans.
Coat the bacon slices generously with the pecan topping. Return to oven and continue to bake until bacon is crispy, about 6-10 minutes. Remove and cool. Serve in strips or as a crumbled topping on baked potatoes and even donuts.
Super Duper Easy Praline Glazed Donuts
1 roll of biscuits (use the plainest biscuits you can find. Try not to use flaky or butter flavored)
8 cups vegetable oil
Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large skillet with high sides over medium-high heat until temperature reaches 350 degrees. (Oil should be 1 1/2-2 inches deep). Open biscuit container. If any of the biscuits look irregular, gently pat them down to even rounds and even thickness. Cut out doughnut hole center.
Add half of the doughnuts and fry until the bottoms turn golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes for small doughnuts and 2 to 2 1/2 minutes for large doughnuts. Using chopsticks or long fork, turn the doughnuts and holes and fry for until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
Transfer doughnuts to a paper towel-lined plate and allow to cool slightly, 5 minutes before dipping in praline glaze.