Erinn Goes Abroad

Pralines

Cooking has never been my strong suit. After a taste test of my concoctions, any response without bouts of gagging or involuntary eye-watering is a marked success. However, I do have one claim to fame in the kitchen.**  I can make the Southern confection known as pralines.

A few years back I visited historic Savannah and besides an obligatory haunted tour and stroll riverside, I visited River Street Sweets. There I tried what’s known as a  praline- a chewy cluster of pecans cloaked in creamy sugar. My taste buds had a conniption. So I vowed to learn how to make them, Savannah-style, and particularly during the holidays, I would make big batches as gifts. Never did I imagine sharing this distinctly Southern treat with an international audience.

When I came to New Zealand, I was asked to give presentations to Rotary Clubs about the Ambassadorial scholarship. A component of that is sharing my story, my home, and my culture. Making pralines seemed like a necessary and complimentary aspect of my presentation. I just hand them out and let them tell a story with their ingredients and by the way they satisfy.

So if you ever want to make a batch, this is how I make mine (this is supposed to be similar to the River Streets Sweets recipe)

1 ½ cups of white sugar

¾ cups of brown sugar

3/8 cups of butter

½ cup of milk (may replace with condensed milk or cream)

1 ½ cups of pecans

Combine in a pot and heat medium-low. Monitor the temperature with a candy thermometer and stir regularly. Once the pralines reach 235-240 degrees Fahrenheit, plop servings onto baking paper and let cool. Resist the temptation to eat them while they’re hot. Though tasty when warm, a hot praline can lead to a burnt tongue. Even then, your tongue would suffer happily, having tasted a little bit of heaven.

**My other claim to fame is protein pancakes. They are as delectable as they sound. I used to make them with raw oats, whey protein powder and water. My father would sometimes beg me, with all the fervor of a shrieking toddler, NOT to make them. Didn’t stop me.