Recipe Review: Brennan's Pralines, Part 2

If you're feeling adventurous and want to make something that you can pass out to your family and friends (who will immediately love you unconditionally), then try this recipe. It's the orange zest that really makes all the flavors pop. See Part 1 for helpful tricks and tips.

Brennan's New Orleans-Style Pralines

Yield: 4 dozen

• 1 quart whipping cream
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1 ½ cups medium chopped pecans
• Zest of 1 medium orange

Line three cookie sheets, preferably with parchment paper, but wax paper will work. Also have dessert spoons close by to spoon the pralines onto the parchment when it's time.

In a large heavy saucepan, slowly simmer cream, sugar, corn syrup and orange zest over low heat. As cream mixture simmers, be careful of boil-over in the early stages. Let mixture reduce, stirring occasionally.

When cream mixture first starts to stick to bottom of pan, you need to stir almost continuously until done. As mixture reduces and the sugar starts to caramelize, the mixture becomes thicker and begins to turn light brown in color.

When mixture reaches the soft-ball stage of 240 degrees, stir in pecans. Continue stirring while looking for the point when mixture starts to pull away from sides of the pan.

Drop a small amount (quarter size) onto a lined cookie sheet. Look quickly to see if the praline runs out flat or holds a nice rounded top shape, and if the praline has a dull-looking appearance. Also, the mixture shouldn't have an oily look while in the saucepan; that means the mixture has cooked too long.

When ready, the mixture should be close to a firm-ball stage of 248 degrees. However, don't depend entirely on the candy thermometer.

Use two dessert spoons to spoon out the pralines onto the lined cookie sheets. Use one spoon to dip up the hot mixture and the other one to push it off into the paper.

If you've hit it just right, you should be able to pick up a delicious praline in about 30 minutes. It should appear dry and not be chewy. If after a couple of hours, you can't pick one up, let them on the pans in a cool dry area for a day or two, until they dry out.