I know the title is bragging but when I make these as gifts people rave about the buttery taste, and since we have pecan trees in our yard I get to make them with fresh ingredients...yum, yum...but don't eat them a lot or you'll end up not able to pass through the door and have to have your car and coffin special made.
4 1/4 c.sugar...I use organic sugar..but you can use white if you can't get organic, but honestly you will be missing that special taste because organic has a hint of molasses taste.
2 c.milk(canned evaporated milk is the best taste but make sure you cut it with water like the label reads or it's too rich.)
1 stick butter(real butter not margarine)
1 tsp.REAL vanilla extract(if you can't get real vanilla in your area
take one vanilla bean and split it and place in (half pint)small bottle of Bourbon and let cure at least two weeks(wear a scarf and dark glasses when you purchase it..hehehe. This is what real vanilla is. The alcohol will dissolve in the cooking)
2 cups Pecan halves.
In a large heavy pot, mix 4 cups sugar, milk and butter. In another very small pot, melt or brown about 1/4 cup or less of sugar(this is what gives pralines the brown color. We do not use brown sugar)
When the large pot starts to boil, add the small pot of sugar, stirring
constantly.
Bring to a soft boil stage and immediately take off of fire. Add vanilla and pecans.
Stir until it starts to turn a dull color, and you feel that it is getting hard to stir; you may hear a cracking sound!
Pour on waxed paper.
Note: When I make these I line cookie sheets with wax paper and turn them out on these.I use a large stainless steel cooking spoon and about a spoonful like this is enough for each praline.
They do not take long to cool. I store them in tins or give them away in glass jars. These are fantastic and this is the recipe the older Acadian women make.
