Chef Michaels New Orleans Pralines Food

NEW ORLEANS BACON PRALINES

Steps:

• Special equipment: candy thermometer
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 1 rimmed sheet pan with heavy foil and another with parchment paper.
• Place a baking rack over the foil-lined sheet pan and arrange the bacon slices across the rack next to each other, but not overlapping. Bake until crispy, 15 to 18 minutes. When cool enough to handle, finely chop and set aside.
• Reduce the oven temp to 350 degrees F.
• In a small saucepan over moderate heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons brown sugar, about 1 minute. Add the pecans and combine until the pecans are coated. Pour out onto another unlined sheet pan and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
• Place the remaining 2 cups brown sugar into a 3-quart heavy saucepan, being careful to not get sugar on the sides of the pan. Add the cream, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and salt and cook over very low heat (do not let simmer), stirring frequently with a rubber spatula, until the sugar is dissolved, 10 to 15 minutes. Wash down any sugar crystals on the side of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Clamp on a candy thermometer to the saucepan and boil the syrup over moderately-high heat until it registers 236 degrees F.
• Remove the pan from the heat, leaving the thermometer in place, and let cool until the syrup registers 220 degrees F, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the bacon and pecans. Working quickly, drop 1 tablespoon of pralines onto the prepared parchment-lined sheet pan. If the mixture starts to harden, place back on the stove over moderately-low heat and let it melt. Let the pralines sit until they harden, about 45 minutes.

NEW ORLEANS-STYLE PRALINES

Steps:

• Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Have 2 small spoons ready for scooping. Bring the cream, sugar, corn syrup and orange zest to a gentle simmer in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally with a whisk or wooden spoon (do not let the cream mixture boil over). Simmer, stirring, until the mixture is thickened and light brown in color and a candy thermometer registers 240 degrees F (soft-ball stage), 20 to 30 minutes (start by stirring occasionally, then switch to stirring constantly when the mixture starts to stick to the bottom of the pan). Stir in the pecans and salt; the temperature will drop at least 5 degrees F to 10 degrees F.
• Continue to simmer, stirring, until the mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the pan (the thermometer should register 246 degrees F to 247 degrees F). To test for doneness, drop a quarter-size amount onto a prepared baking sheet: The mixture should hold a rounded shape and look dull; if it runs out flat, continue cooking.
• Use the small spoons to spoon about quarter-size mounds of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheets. Let sit until cool, set and dry, 30 minutes to 1 hour. If the pralines are still too soft to pick up after a few hours, let them sit in a cool, dry place, uncovered, for 1 or 2 days. Once dry, store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

CHEF MICHAEL'S NEW ORLEANS PRALINES

Steps:

• In a saucepan, using a wooden spoon, mix sugars, milk, butter, syrup, and salt.
• Cook over medium heat to softball stage, about 10 minutes. Test by dropping a drop of mixture into some cold water. Drop should be soft when picked up with fingers.
• Remove from heat; add vanilla and nuts. Beat until mixture begins to thicken, about 1 minute.
• Drop by teaspoonfuls onto buttered wax paper.

PECAN PRALINES, NEW ORLEANS SCHOOL OF COOKING

Steps:

• NOTE: To roast pecans, bake them on a sheet pan at 275 for 20-25 minutes, until slightly browned and fragrant.
• Combine all ingredients and bring to a softball stage (238-240 degrees), stirring constantly. Soft ball stage is also achieved when you place a spoonful of sugar mixture into a glass of water and it sticks to the side.
• Remove from heat.
• Beat with a wooden spoon until mixture thickens, becomes creamy and cloudy, and pecans stay suspended in mixture.
• Spoon out on buttered aluminum foil or parchment paper.