Learn how to make delicious Homemade Pralines with this super easy recipe from the New Orleans School of Cooking! They’re so nutty and sweet, you’ll want to make them all the time!
Easy Homemade Pralines Recipe
What a great weekend I had in New Orleans last week. I was fortunate to spend 4 days with a group of bloggers and the LA Seafood Board. We ate our way through the best restaurants and met with seafood fisherman to get a hands on look at how much love and work goes into their jobs. A real eye opening experience, I have so much respect for all of them.
Exploring New Orleans
Let me take you through a peek at the adventures we went on day 1.
We were so lucky to stay at The Bourbon Orleans Hotel, right in the middle of the French Quarter.
Photo via Marla Meridith
We had a lovely gift bag of sweets from Sucre’ Bakery Boutique and a giant arrangement of Zatarains products waiting in our rooms. How gorgeous is this?
Last Thursday evening we dined at the Bistro at Maison De Ville. The food was delicious, I tried my first set of frog legs. So cliche, but yes tasted like chicken 🙂
I am not sure what I will do without Camillia’s Grill. Amanda and I enjoyed their charming diner 3 times in 4 days. No kidding, they had the best breakfast Western Omelet I have ever had. See photos below. We spotted their secret ingredient. Finely chopped ham and peppers sauteed in LOTS of butter before the eggs get poured over. Worth every single calorie.
Here is the inside diner. Love Love Loved it 🙂
Here are the guys hard at work, they were as sweet as the food was delicious. It’s a must do if you are in New Orleans.
The photos don’t even do these dishes justice. We split a side of pancakes and some grits too. Love!
After breakfast on Friday, we headed to the Louisiana Seafood Festival, lots to see and even more to eat. I got a kick out of the gator offerings. You don’t see this in Orange County 🙂 Matt and Adam tried the gator sausage and everyone raved about it, guess Mr. Gator is mighty tasty.
We also had front row seats to chef demo’s at the festival. Talented local Chef’s prepared beautiful seafood dishes and shared. How good does that shrimp and coconut look that Chef John Folse is holding?
Here we are getting interviewed by the LA Seafood camera man. Not sure where our faces will show up. Matt and Amanda doing a fine job on camera 🙂
Photo Via Matt Amaranderiz
Marla, Me and Gaby taking pics of the gorgeous chef dishes. Always snapping photos aren’t we?!
Ahhh, the ever so famous Cafe Du Monde. Before I went to New Orleans, EVERYONE said you must get beignets from Cafe Du Monde. I don’t drink coffee, but I hear their coffee is a must order as well. It’s a small outside coffee shop with powdered sugar all over the floor. You can see why by the looks of those beignets. Very charming indeed and how can you go wrong with a fried piece of goodness covered in powdered sugar?
The New Orleans School of Cooking
We also had the pleasure of watching cooking demo’s from Chef Ann at the New Orleans School of Cooking. The food was outstanding!
On the left is Ann the cooking instructor who was the cutest sweetest grandma you’ll ever meet. On the right is Dan serving up the grub. We could come up and help ourselves….and even have seconds 🙂
Photo via Amanda
Maggy and I snapping some serious photos, lol!
Photo via Amanda
Me, Maggy and Amanda at the cooking school 🙂 We enjoyed Corn and Crab Bisque, Crawfish Etouffee, Banana’s Foster and Homemade Pralines….which I have the recipe for you!!
How to Make Homemade Pralines
Equipment
- Stove
- Oven
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup milk
- 6 tbsp butter
- 1 1/2 cups pecans roasted
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients and bring to a “softball stage” (238-240 degrees F), stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
- Stir until mixture thickens (again stirring constantly), becomes creamy and cloudy, and pecans stay suspended in mixture. Spoon out on buttered waxed paper, aluminum foil or parchment paper.
- *When using waxed paper, be sure to buffer with newspaper underneath, as hot wax will transfer to whatever is beneath.
- Options: Praline sauce (add 1/2 cup corn syrup to mixture). Chocolate covered praline candy. Flavored pralines (chocolate, coffee, brandy, etc.)
Notes
Nutrition
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Stay tuned for more New Orleans Adventures and more recipes!
To see the full list of bloggers who I was with click HERE