Chocolate pecan pralines- prudhomme

 
                    CHOCOLATE PECAN PRALINES - PRUDHOMME
 
 Recipe By     : 
 Serving Size  : 24   Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Cajun                            Candies
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
    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       T            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.
  
 
 
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