Praline (nut confection) facts for kids
Pralin (crushed praline)
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| Type | Confectionery |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Belgium Louisiana |
| Main ingredients | nuts, syrup |
A praline is a yummy sweet treat! It's a type of candy made mostly from nuts and sugar. The nuts often used are almonds, pecans, or hazelnuts. Sometimes, cream is also added, making it extra delicious.
There are two main kinds of pralines:
- French pralines: These are firm and crunchy. They are made by coating almonds in caramelized sugar.
- American pralines: These are softer and creamier. They often use pecans, hazelnuts, or almonds mixed with milk or cream. They are a bit like fudge.
Praline can also be a filling inside chocolates or other sweets. You might even find a praline cookie, which is a chocolate cookie with ground nuts in it.
Types of Pralines
European Nut Pralines
The idea for praline might have started in France. It's thought to have been created by the cook of a French leader named Marshal du Plessis-Praslin in the 1600s. The word praline comes from his name, Praslin.
At first, pralines were whole almonds covered one by one in caramelized sugar. This was different from other sweets where many nuts were covered together. European chefs used nuts that grew nearby, like almonds and hazelnuts.
When these caramel-coated nuts are ground up, they make a powder called pralin. This powder is used in many cakes, pastries, and ice creams. If you mix this pralin powder with chocolate, it becomes praliné in French. This is often what people mean when they talk about chocolate-filled candies in Europe.
American Cream-Based Pralines
French people who settled in Louisiana brought the praline recipe with them. Louisiana had lots of sugar cane and pecan trees. This was perfect for making new kinds of sweets!
In the 1800s, in New Orleans, some amazing cooks changed the recipe. They used pecans instead of almonds. They also added cream to make the candy thicker and creamier. This new, softer candy became known as the American praline.
American pralines have a smooth, creamy texture, much like fudge. To make them, sugar (often brown sugar), butter, cream, or buttermilk, and pecans are cooked together. They are stirred until the mixture gets thick and turns a nice brown color. Then, spoonfuls are dropped onto wax paper to cool down.
You might have heard of "Pralines and Cream" ice cream, which is a popular flavor in the United States and Canada. In some parts of Louisiana, people sometimes call pralines "pecan candy."
