Praline, variations can be heavenly confections NORTH SPORTS FINAL, C Edition

• Published in: Chicago tribune (1963)
• Main Author: Peter Kump, Copyright 1990 by Peter Kump
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, Ill Tribune Publishing Company, LLC 19.04.1990
• ISSN: 1085-6706

Just what praline is though can be somewhat confusing, beginning with the fact that when the French came to New Orleans and began making their pralin (pronounced prah-lan) with the local nuts, pecans, in the very humid climate, they ended up with quite a different, yet delectable result. So what we think of as New Orleans' pralines (pray-leens) are a type of confection made to look like a cookie, which is soft and creamy-quite the opposite of the nut brittle that is the characteristic of French pralin. To help clarify: Praline, or pralin, is a concoction of sugar cooked to the caramel stage to which nuts, usually hazelnuts and/or almonds, are added. It is allowed to cool and subsequently harden, at which point it is a nut brittle or nougatine. Professionals make a distinction between praline and nougatine (more about that later). Praline is equal weights of nuts and sugar; it usually is pulverized. Nougatine, or nut brittle, is usually equal volumes of nuts and sugar which means, because sugar is heavier and is more finely ground, there is a larger proportion of sugar to nuts. This usually is broken into large pieces or kept whole and, while warm, molded to the shape of a bowl or over a cake, etc. Praline Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes Yield: 12 ounces 1 cup sugar 1/3 cup water 1 teaspoon lemon juice or a pinch of cream of tartar 1 cup nuts-blanched if almonds, pistachios or hazelnuts