Creole Pralines

I got this recipe from a lady I used to work with many years ago when I lived in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but I never had much luck making them as good as hers until I found a good method for making smooth, creamy pralines. Shirley Corriher of Atlanta, and author of the book, "Cookwise" recommends letting the praline mixture sit five minutes before "beating like crazy." This way, you'll get "billions of tiny crystals and perfectly smooth, creamy candy." Shirley oought to know - before discovering her love for cooking and writing "Cookwise," she was a biochemist at Vanderbilt, which helped her better understand the science behind cooking.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Yields: 36 pralines

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 1 1⁄2 cups light brown sugar
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 lb butter or 1⁄4 lb margarine
• 3  cups pecan halves
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  almond extract
• 1  cup evaporated milk
• 1⁄2 cup  whole milk

Directions

1. Place the sugars, the salt, the whole milk and the evaporated milk in a heavy bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
2. When the temperature reaches 228 degrees on candy thermometer, stir in the butter and pecans and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 236 degrees.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes.
4. Add the extracts and beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until the candy coats the pecans but does not lose its gloss.
5. Drop the pralines 1 tablespoon at a time onto a well-greased piece of aluminum foil or a slab of confectioner's marble.
6. Allow the pralines to cool before serving.