The recipe is very simple:
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup pecan halves, toasted and cooled
a very small pinch of salt, just a few grains
Put the brown sugar, butter and cream and salt in a heavy saucepan.
Cook over medium to medium low heat, stirring until the mixture boils. Place a candy thermometer on the pan and cook mixture until it reaches soft ball stage...about 236 degrees.
The mixture will have a fine, even boil. Remove from the heat and let sit for 5 to 8 minutes. Add the pecans and vanilla.
Beat the mixture by hand (I use a large bamboo spoon) until lit begins to thicken and lose it's gloss. It only takes a few minutes.
Working quickly, drop by spoonfuls on buttered waxed paper or parchment paper. I used parchment paper sprayed with butter flavor no-stick spray.
The trick to this is not to beat the mixture too long. They should be creamy and delicate. If it is beaten too long, they will still taste good, but they will become a little hard. That's why I make several batches before I send the candy to the neighbors...I can get a feel of when they have been beaten enough.
This was my Dad's recipe and he could make the creamiest pralines. He worked at the courthouse and every year made huge batches of fudge and pralines to take to his co-workers. That was when the "million dollar fudge" came out - with marshmallow cream and milk chocolate. He always stuck with it every year.
Got to go get my soup started...it's very cold and Hubby requested vegetable beef stew and cornbread for supper.
Have a warm, sweet day!
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