Bourbon Pralines Food

BOURBON PRALINE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan, then line the bottom and sides with parchment paper and butter the paper. Wrap the outside of the pan with foil.
• Make the praline layer: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the brown sugar, corn syrup, kosher salt and vanilla. Spread in the prepared pan and scatter the pecans on top; set aside.
• Make the cake: Whisk the flour, baking soda, nutmeg and fine salt in a large bowl. Whisk the buttermilk and bourbon in another bowl.
• Beat the butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 10 minutes. With the mixer on low, beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, starting and ending with flour. Fold in the pecans.
• Pour the batter into the pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool on a rack, 30 minutes. Remove the springform ring, invert the cake onto a plate and remove the paper. Serve with ice cream.

BOURBON PECAN PRALINES

Steps:

• Grease 2 baking sheets; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in sugars, then the cream; cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer reads 236° (soft-ball stage), about 20 minutes. , Remove from the heat; stir in the pecan halves, chopped pecans and bourbon. Immediately drop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Let stand until pralines are set and no longer glossy. Store in an airtight container.

PRALINES

Steps:

• Place a large piece of parchment paper on a flat surface, preferably granite or wood.
• Put all the ingredients in a large pot and attach a candy thermometer to the side. You need to be sure the thermometer goes deep into the mixture. Turn the heat to medium high.
• Fill a bowl that's larger than the pot halfway with ice water and set it aside.
• Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon. When everything has melted together, start checking the temperature. When the thermometer reaches exactly 236 degrees F, remove the pot from the heat and stick it in the bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. Stir for 45 seconds while the pot is in the ice bath to evenly cool the entire mixture.
• With a large spoon, start dropping puddles of the mixture onto the parchment. Make sure you're getting some pecans in every spoonful. If you feel like it, sprinkle just a bit of salt on top. Let them cool all the way. If you're in a humid environment, they might stay sticky, but put them in front of a fan and they should get dry.
• Store them carefully in a tin, and don't stack them very high-three layers max, separated by wax paper.
• Find this recipe and more in Duff Bakes: Think and Bake Like a Pro at Home ($27.50, William Morrow).

BOURBON PECAN PRALINES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Spread pecan halves onto a baking sheet and toast for 6 minutes (mixing halfway through). Remove from oven and cool.
• Take two baking sheets and line with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Spray lightly with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
• To a large pot add the brown and white sugars, butter, and milk and melt together over medium heat.
• Stir in pecans and heat to 238 degrees F (check that candy thermometer!), stirring frequently.
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and bourbon.
• Continue stirring for about 3-4 minutes until thickened and creamy.
• Quickly drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking sheets, leaving room as the mixture will spread slightly.
• Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
• Allow pralines to cool before removing from the baking sheets.

SOUTHERN BUTTERMILK BOURBON PRALINE DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Place 2 cups of the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low until combined, then add the shortening and mix until worked in. Whisk together the buttermilk, egg and yolk, and vanilla in a small bowl and then add to the flour mixture and beat until smooth. Beat in remaining 1 cup flour until combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.
• Turn dough onto a floured surface and roll to 1/2-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut dough into rounds. Using a 1-inch cookie cutter, cut hole from center of each round. Gather scraps and re-roll dough, cutting additional doughnuts until dough is used up.
• Heat 5 inches of oil in a large pot to 350 degrees F. Add doughnuts, 3 at a time, and fry until golden on both sides, turning once, about 4 to 5 minutes total. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
• When doughnuts have cooled, dip tops of doughnuts in the mixture and place on baking racks until the praline sets up slightly. Sprinkle nuts on top.
• Combine sugar, water, vanilla bean and seeds in a medium saucepan over high heat and cook until dark amber color. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the cream, butter and salt. Return to the heat and whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and whisk in the bourbon. Strain. Let cool until slightly thickened.

BOURBON-PRALINE BACON

Steps:

• In a 13 X 9 pan, mix the bourbon, vanilla and 1 T brown sugar. Add bacon slices, coating them in the liquid. Let them soak for 15 minutes (or up to 1 hour).
• Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees place an oven rack in the middle. Lightly grease a baking rack and place it on a foil-covered baking sheet.
• Grind the pecans in a food processor or spice grinder. On a large plate or baking sheet, thoroughly mix the ground pecans with the cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and the remaining 1/4 C brown sugar (fingers work best).
• One at a time, shake the excess liquid off the bacon slices, and lay them in the pecan mixture, pressing lightly with your fingertips to make the topping adhere. Flip the bacon and repeat on the other side. (In the middle of this process the topping may begin to cake up. Re-mix it with a fork if necessary). Lay each slice on the rack.
• Bake on the middle rack for 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before removing from the rack. Serve warm or cooled -- and enjoy.

BOURBON AND PRALINE HAM

Steps:

• Score ham.
• Place ham in a large sealable plastic bag and pour bourbon over ham.
• Marinate for 2 to 3 hours (I have left it marinating overnight with excellent results).
• Pour off bourbon, reserving for later, and bake ham at 325 degrees for 2 hours.
• Melt butter.
• Stir in reserved bourbon marinade, maple syrup, brown sugar and chopped pecans.
• Bring to a boil.
• Pour glaze over ham and brush with a pastry brush.
• Decorate with pecan halves and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.

BOURBON PRALINES

Steps:

• Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper; set aside. In a 4-quart saucepan, combine buttermilk, baking soda, and sugar. Over medium-high heat, bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. To prevent crystals from forming, brush sides of pan with cold water.
• Cook, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer registers 240 degrees (soft-ball stage), about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Add butter and bourbon; stir with a wooden spoon until butter has melted. Stir in pecans; beat with wooden spoon for 30 seconds. Immediately spoon 1 tablespoon of pecan mixture onto prepared baking pan, forming a 2-inch patty. Repeat with remaining mixture. If mixture begins to harden, return to heat for 1 minute, scraping down sides and stirring. Let patties stand until set, about 1 hour. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

BOURBON PECAN PRALINES

Steps:

• Line 2 large baking sheets with wax paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
• In a heavy bottomed saucepan melt together butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar with cream and corn syrup. Cook, stirring over medium-high heat just until it comes to a boil.
• Immediately lower the heat to medium. Cook until a candy thermometer reaches soft ball stage. (Around 236°F) This may take as long as 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat, stir in pecans, bourbon and vanilla. Mix with a wooden or non stick spoon for 1-2 minutes or until it begins to thicken and has a matte sheen. Don't skip this step.
• Work quickly with 2 Tablespoons dropping onto wax paper in rounds, forming into even shapes. Use one Tablespoon to drop and the other to scrape the mixture from the spoon.
• Let sit until completely dry and set. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

BOURBON AND PRALINE HAM

Steps:

• Score the skin and fat of the ham and rub surface liberally with bourbon. Place in the smallest baking pan that will hold it and pour remaining bourbon over the top. Marinate 2-3 hours, basting every 30 minutes. Pour off excess bourbon and reserve. Bake ham, skin-side up, in 325º oven as directed on label.
• Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in reserved bourbon, maple syrup, brown sugar and ground pecans. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Brush glaze over ham several times during baking. Decorate with pecan halves and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer.

BOURBON PRALINES

Steps:

• Combine first 5 ingredients in a heavy saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring gently until sugar dissolves. Add pecans; cover and cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes to wash down sugar crystals down from side of the pan.
• Uncover and cook without stirring to soft ball stage or until candy thermometer reads 235°F.
• Remove from heat and stir in baking soda; beat with a wooden spoon just until the mixture starts to thicken (5 to 8 minutes).
• Working rapidly, drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased wax paper; let stand until firm.

BOURBON-PRALINE SAUCE

Steps:

• place pecans and butter in heavy medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat 4 minutes or until nuts are toasted, stirring frequently.
• Add 1/2 cup dark brown sugar and 1/2 cup cream; stir until smooth. In small bowl, blend 2 tablespoons milk and cornstarch. Stir cornstarch mixture into sauce.
• Increase heat to medium-high; cook until mixture comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat; stir in 1 tablespoon bourbon, 1 teaspoon vanilla and dash salt. Serve warm. (Store sauce, covered, in refrigerator. If too thick after reheating, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons milk.).

PECAN PRALINE SEMIFREDDO WITH BOURBON CARAMEL

Steps:

• To make the praline, line a baking sheet with waxed paper.
• Combine the water and the sugar in a saucepan over high heat. Gently swirl the pan around to melt the sugar evenly. Using a candy thermometer, cook the sugar until it reaches 370°F. Add the pecan halves to the caramel and quickly stir the nuts to coat them thoroughly with the caramel. Spoon the praline onto the waxed paper in an even layer to cool. Once the praline has cooled, chop it finely with a knife and reserve.
• To make the parfait, line a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, letting enough excess wrap hang over the sides to cover the top.
• Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy whipping cream on medium-high speed until it reaches stiff peaks. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, with a rubber spatula, fold the sour cream into the whipped cream. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and refrigerate until needed.
• Have the egg yolks and egg whites in separate bowls. Put the egg yolks in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and add 1/4 cup of the sugar. Whisk the mixture on high speed until you achieve a thick, pale yellow consistency. Transfer the mixture to another bowl and reserve.
• Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until frothy. Decrease the speed to low and slowly sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup sugar into the whites. Once the sugar is added, increase the speed to high and whisk until medium peaks form.
• Fold the cream mixture into the yolks, then fold in the egg whites in three additions. Fold in the chopped pecan praline.
• Fill your prepared loaf pan with the semifreddo mixture and smooth out the top. Pull the plastic wrap over the top and freeze for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
• To make the caramel, using a candy thermometer, cook the water and the sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until it reaches 380°F. Remove the caramel from the heat and carefully add the heavy cream. Return it to the stove over low heat. Once the cream dissolves into the caramel, you need to swirl the pan periodically but try not to stir it, remove it from the heat and add the bourbon. Hold the caramel at room temperature until you are ready to serve it.
• To serve the semifreddo, pull the plastic wrap away from the top. Invert the loaf pan onto a platter. Wrap a hot, wet kitchen towel over the loaf pan and gently rub the sides to release the semifreddo. Once the semifreddo is released onto the platter, peel off the plastic wrap.
• Slice the semifreddo into ten equal slices with a sharp knife. Serve each with a drizzle of bourbon caramel.