Last night we cooked our second annual Mardi Gras meal with friends. I used my favorite New Orleans cookbook, the Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine, for a few ideas including: Mardi Gras Slaw, Voodoo Greens, Soul Pork Roast, and homemade Cajun Pralines. It's a wonderful book with over 700 pages of history, lore, and of course, amazing recipes from roux to King cake!
Our friends brought shrimp cocktail, pate with crusty bread and figgy jam, and a bottle of wine. All around a great meal.
Although this is the first time I've made these, the recipe was straightforward and they turned out deliciously well.
Cajun Pralines:
Prep time: 30 minutes
Yields: 40-50 Pralines
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 stick butter
1 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Combine all ingredients and stir constantly until mixture reaches soft-ball stage on a candy thermometer (234-240 F). Remove from heat and stir until thickened. Praline mixture should become creamy and cloudy, and pecans should remain in suspension. Drop spoonfuls onto buttered wax paper or parchment paper; be sure to buffer with newspaper underneath if using wax paper as hot wax will transfer to whatever is beneath.
From the Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine, page 605.
I made this one yesterday and yes oh yes, it was really yummy. :) I'd like to do it again when I have time. :) Thank you so much. :)
Posted by: kelly | black suits | 03/21/2012 at 01:02 AM
Looks really delicious! I want to grab one!
Posted by: Flowers Melbourne | 04/18/2012 at 07:02 PM
Love this! Looks really delicious! Love it!
Posted by: Fashion Photography Melbourne | 05/10/2012 at 12:15 AM