Cranberry Pralines
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp orange zest optional
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cup pecans
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside for now.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cream, butter, orange zest (if using), and baking soda over medium heat. Stir continuously until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F.
- Remove from heat and add the salt, vanilla, pecans, and dried cranberries. Stir the mixture vigorously for 1-2 minutes, until it thickens.
- Drop by the spoonful onto the prepared baking sheet. Let cool completely then enjoy.
Notes
- Once you start heating the mixture, this recipe comes together very quickly. You’ll want to have the pecans, cranberries, vanilla, and salt measured out in advance so you can quickly dump them into the pot.
- If you see white spots forming on your pralines while cooling, this is just the sugar recrystallizing. It is normal and will not affect the taste at all. You can reduce the chance of these white spots by continuously stirring the mixture while heating and after adding the pecans, and working quickly to spoon the mixture out onto the baking sheets. In addition, adding 1 tablespoon of corn syrup or honey to the recipe tends to prevent these spots (but does require a longer time for the candy to firm up after portioning onto baking sheets).
