French Praliné (caramelized nuts butter) - The Pastry Nerd (2024)

FAQs

What is a French praline? ›

praline, in French confectionery, a cooked mixture of sugar, nuts, and vanilla, often ground to a paste for use as a pastry or candy filling, analogous to marzipan; also, a sugar-coated almond or other nutmeat.

Pralines (US: /ˈpreɪliːn/; New Orleans, Cajun, and UK: /ˈprɑːliːn/) are confections containing nuts – usually almonds, pecans and hazelnuts – and sugar.

Hazelnut praline paste is an originally French spread made from hazelnuts and caramel. In my recipe, I use toasted and de-skinned hazelnuts, and a “wet caramel” where the sugar is cooked with a few tablespoons of water until caramelised to a deep amber colour.

Praline is a paste of roasted and caramelised dried fruit that is used in many pastries and confectionery, as well as in the filling of certain chocolates. It can be made from almonds or hazelnuts, and more rarely from both.

noun. pra·​line ˈprä-ˌlēn ˈprā- ˈprȯ- : a confection of nuts and sugar: such as. a. : almonds cooked in boiling sugar until brown and crisp.

Although the stories surrounding the creation differ, it is widely agreed that pralines are named after a French diplomat from the early 17th century whose name and title was César, duc de Choiseul, comte du Plessis-Praslin.

Pralines are a sweet, creamy and nutty confection that tastes like caramelized nuts with a soft, fudgy texture.

The vanilla flavoring makes a big difference here — it distinguishes butter pecan as vanilla-forward, while pralines are more caramel sugar-forward.

Praliné is a nut-based paste used widely in pastry-making. It's not to be confused with praline, which is a candy coated with caramelized sugar.

Praline pecans are also a healthy addition as pecans contain vitamins and minerals, and are also free from cholesterol so you can much on them without worry.

How long does praline last? ›

They contain no preservatives and are best consumed within a week of purchase. They never go “bad,” but after a week or so the sugar starts to crystalize and they lose the characteristic snap that you enjoy when biting them.

If you don't beat it long enough, then pralines won't set properly and will stay soft and sticky. Work quickly to drop heaping tablespoons of pecan praline mixture onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. I find that it works best to use a cookie dough scoop.

Created by perfumers, the praline note reproduces the sweet, gourmand scent of caramel with molecules such as Maltol or Ethyl Maltol. Reminiscent of childhood sweets, praline is decadently warm, vanilla-sweet, and adds a balsamic facet to fragrances. A smooth, milky, and candy floss-scented base note.

Praline Pecans are undoubtably one of the most irresistible snacking options around, but did you know they were so versatile? Being that it is a snack that contains a savory element, as well as a sweet element, the possibilities are endless for its uses.

Praline pecans are just one variety of candied pecans. These pecans have a tasty coating or glaze and are also referred to as flavored pecans. Praline aficionados can get their fix with Praline Frosted Pecans or Crunchy Praline Pecans, while other options include Key Lime Pecans, Cinnamon Pecans, and more.

In the 18th century, a Lyonnais pastry chef was apparently inspired by the rose gardens in the Rhône region and tinted his pralines in a similar pink in his copper-mixing machine. This proved to be a hit with customers and the rose-coloured praline tart was born.

What is the difference between a pecan and a praline? A pecan is a type of nut while a praline is a type of candy that is made with sugar and nuts. While pecans are the most common type of nut used in pralines, almonds or hazelnuts will work too.