Pecan Praline Honey Butter Food

PECAN-HONEY BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake pecans in a single layer until ligthly toasted and fragrant, stirring occasionally. This should take about 7 minutes. Use your nose to judge when they are done -- they shouldn't smell burned. Cool and finely chop the pecans. (You can make more toasted pecans than you need for this recipe. The toasted pecans can be used for lots of things!).
• Stir together 1/2 cup butter, softened; 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans, and 2 tbsp honey.
• Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze up to 1 month.

CREAMY PECAN PRALINES

Steps:

• Mix light brown sugar, granulated sugar, heavy cream, butter, water and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until sugar dissolves. Stir in pecans and cook over medium heat until mixture reaches the soft ball stage, 238 to 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer. If you spoon a drop of boiling syrup into a cup of ice water, it will form a soft ball that flattens easily between your fingers.
• Remove pan from heat and stir rapidly until mixture thickens. Drop pralines by the spoonfuls, 1-inch apart onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Let cool completely until firm. Store in an airtight container.

PRALINE BUTTER

Steps:

• In a heavy 6-inch skillet evenly spread out the sugar.
• Heat over medium-high heat until sugar begins to melt, shaking skillet occasionally to heat sugar evenly.
• Carefully add pecan and 1 tbl butter or margarine.
• Reduce heat to low; cook until sugar melts and turns golden brown, stirring constantly.
• Remove skillet from the heat; spread candied nuts on a buttered baking sheet or piece of foil.
• Cool. Break into small clusters.
• Place clusters in a plastic bag and, using a rolling pin, crush the candied nuts.
• In a mixing bowl, stir together remaining butter, vanilla extract and candied nuts.
• If not serving immediately, cover and chill.
• Let the butter stand at room temperature for about 1 hour before serving.

YUMMY PECAN PRALINES

Steps:

• Generously grease a large slab or baking sheet.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, white sugar and milk. Bring to a boil. Stir in butter, pecans and vanilla. Heat, without stirring, to between 234 and 240 degrees F (112 to 116 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface. Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes.
• Beat until thickened, then pour immediately onto prepared surface and let rest until firm and completely cool before cutting.