Description
Sweet Southern praline pecan treats showcase classic Louisiana culinary traditions with rich caramelized pecans and creamy sugar coating. Crisp candied pecans provide delightful crunch while comforting palates with nostalgic Southern hospitality you’ll savor to the last bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups (710 ml) pecan halves
- 1 cup (240 ml) brown sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) corn syrup
- 1 cup (227 g / 8 oz) butter
- 2 bags microwave popcorn (3.3 oz / 93 g each)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat Preparation: Calibrate the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (120 degrees Celsius), establishing an ideal environment for transforming popcorn and pecans into a delectable confection.
- Kernel Preparation: Pop the corn kernels according to package instructions, ensuring a crisp and uniform texture throughout the batch.
- Base Composition: Merge freshly popped corn with whole pecan halves in a generously sized mixing vessel, creating a foundational layer for the upcoming sweet transformation.
- Caramel Crafting: In a sturdy saucepan, combine brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter over medium-high temperature, stirring intermittently until the mixture erupts into a vigorous boil.
- Flavor Infusion: Immediately extract the syrup from heat, then rapidly whisk in vanilla extract and baking soda, watching the mixture metamorphose into a light, airy foam.
- Coating Technique: Drench the popcorn and pecan ensemble with the warm praline glaze, gently folding to ensure comprehensive coverage of the sweet caramelized essence.
- Baking Setup: Distribute the glazed mixture across a spacious baking pan, creating an even landscape to guarantee uniform caramelization and crisp texture.
- Oven Transformation: Position the pan in the preheated oven for 1 hour, interrupting the process every 20 minutes to redistribute and prevent uneven browning.
- Cooling Finale: Once baking concludes, carefully disperse the molten praline-coated mixture onto wax or parchment paper, allowing it to cool and solidify into crisp clusters.
Notes
- Butter Coating Tip: Lightly grease baking pan with butter to prevent sticky residue and make cleanup easier.
- Even Stirring Technique: Consistently stir mixture every 20 minutes to ensure uniform caramelization and prevent burning.
- Sugar Watching Alert: Monitor caramel syrup closely during boiling to avoid scorching and maintain perfect golden color.
- Storage Recommendation: Store cooled treats in airtight container at room temperature for maximum crunchiness up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 232
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 140 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg