Pralines Cream Dream Food

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.

PRALINES & CREAM DREAM

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, corn syrup, and half-and-half.
• Place over medium heat and cook for 7-8 minutes.
• Stir in butter, pecans, and vanilla.
• Remove and cool completely.
• To serve, spoon alternate layers of ice cream and pralines sauce in a wine glass or parfait glass.

CHOCOLATE PECAN-PRALINE CREAM DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• For the pecan praline: Cover a workspace in parchment paper. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the light brown sugar, heavy cream, butter and water. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the praline mixture registers 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Add the pecans and remove from the heat, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until the candy mixture cools. Spread on the parchment paper and cool completely, then cut the pralines into small pieces.
• For the basic custard: Combine the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Bring the cream and milk to a boil in a small saucepan, then pour over the yolk mixture and mix until well combined. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook until it coats the back of the spoon. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve and refrigerate, with plastic wrap pressed directly against its surface, for 30 minutes.
• For the chocolate pastry cream: Soak the gelatin in cold water until softened, about 5 minutes, then drain all excess water. Add the gelatin to 1 1/4 cups basic custard followed by the melted white chocolate; mix until well combined. (Save the remaining custard for another use.) Place the chocolate pastry cream in the refrigerator, covered in plastic wrap, until ready to use.
• For the applewood-smoked bacon: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the bacon on a baking sheet and bake until crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Crumble the bacon.
• For the doughnuts: Using a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix together the flour, milk, sugar, yeast, salt and egg on low speed until you get a smooth dough, then increase the speed and add cold butter in stages. Mix until all the butter has been incorporated into the dough, and the dough is smooth and elastic. Remove the dough from the bowl and form into a ball. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, roll out on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin to 3/4-inch thick, and cut out 12 rounds with a 3-inch round cutter. Arrange the dough rounds 2 1/2-inches away from each other on the prepared baking sheet and let sit at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set aside. Heat about 2 1/2 inches oil in a Dutch oven to 350 degrees F, then fry the doughnuts in batches until golden brown, 45 seconds on each side. Place on the prepared baking sheet and let cool completely.
• For the sugar glaze: Mix the confectioners' sugar, salt and water until the consistency is thick and fluid (add extra water if needed).
• Fill a piping bag with the chocolate cream. Pierce a small opening on the bottom of each doughnut and fill with the chocolate cream. Dip the doughnuts in the sugar glaze, sprinkle with chopped pralines and stick on small shards of crispy bacon.

PRALINES & CREAM PECAN-CARAMEL MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Arrange oven rack to middle position. Line a 12-cup large muffin pan with paper liners and generously spray liners with nonstick cooking spray. Place pan on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
• For Pecan Streusel Topping, in a food processor, grind nuts, both sugars, and butterscotch chips, if desired, to make a fine meal. Add butter and pulse to blend. Put mixture into a mixing bowl. (This is a fine, gravelly streusel.).
• Without cleaning food processor bowl, blend Cream Cheese Topping ingredients well and then spoon out into another bowl. For Muffin Batter, blend butter with both sugars in food processor until well blended; then add egg and vanilla and mix well. Add buttermilk, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nuts and blend well, making sure no unblended sugar or butter is stuck in bottom of bowl. Scoop some batter into each muffin cup, filling about half full. Squirt on some sundae topping. Spoon on some Cream Cheese Topping and then carefully add streusel.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes until muffins seem firm to the touch when gently pressed with fingertips. Let cool 5 minutes before removing from pan.

PRALINES AND CREAM COCKTAIL

Steps:

• combine all the ingredients except the pecans in a blender and blend until thick and smooth.
• Pour into a stemmed glass and garnish with pecan pieces.
• Serve immediately with a straw or spoon. This is not a beverage that can be sipped delicately!

PRALINES AND CREAM COCKTAIL

Steps:

• Add all ingredients expect the pecans into a blender and blend until smooth.
• Pour into a snifter and garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and pecan pieces.
• Serve with a straw and a spoon. They're quite thick.

SOUR CREAM PECAN PRALINES

Steps:

• Mix together the sour cream, light corn syrup, molasses, salt, rum (optional) and two cups of the granulated sugar.
• Melt the remaining cup of granulated sugar in a heavy bottomed pot, stirring constantly until it is caramelized.
• Pour the mixed ingredients into the melted sugar at first slowly, stirring rapidly, so that it mixes with the sugar.
• Then pour the rest of the mix in.
• Much steam will be released in this process, so it is advised to wear a cooking mitten on the hand that is used to stir.
• Cook without stirring until the mixture reaches a temperature of 250 F (midway between the softball and hardball stage.) To accurately measure the temperature, calibrate and adjust your thermometer for you elevation.
• Place the thermometer in a pot of water and bring it to the boiling point. Note the reading on your thermometer.
• Apply the difference between the boiling point shown and the true boiling point of 112 F to the 250 F true praline temperature. If, for example, the thermometer shows the water boiling at 202 F, then subtract 10 degrees from the praline temperature of 250 F to get the reading of 240 F at which the praline syrup is done. Add the cleaned pecans all at once. Fold and mix the pecans into the syrup until thoroughly mixed.
• Drop by spoonfuls onto oiled parchment paper or onto an oiled marble surface. If you wish to individually wrap your fresh pralines, use wax paper.
• Do not use plastic wrap, as it will stick to the candy.
• Notes:: * Do not use "lite" or "non-fat" sour cream