What Is Praline Made From
Now, here’s where it gets wild. When the recipe crossed the Atlantic to New Orleans, the locals took one look at those almonds and said, “Nah.” They had pecans growing in their backyards. Pecans are buttery, native, and almost too easy to love. So they swapped the almonds for pecans. Then, they went further. They added cream. And brown sugar. And butter.
The result? That soft, fudge-like disc that melts in your mouth. It is the opposite of crunchy French praline. Southern praline is chewy, grainy, and almost like a thick candy icing. It’s less about a hard shell and more about a gooey hug. You buy one from a street vendor in New Orleans and have to eat it fast before it melts on your fingers.
How to Make Praline - Gemma’s Bigger Bolder Baking