Best New Orleans Style Maple Bacon Pralines Recipes

NEW ORLEANS BACON PRALINES

Steps:

• Special equipment: candy thermometer
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 1 rimmed sheet pan with heavy foil and another with parchment paper.
• Place a baking rack over the foil-lined sheet pan and arrange the bacon slices across the rack next to each other, but not overlapping. Bake until crispy, 15 to 18 minutes. When cool enough to handle, finely chop and set aside.
• Reduce the oven temp to 350 degrees F.
• In a small saucepan over moderate heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons brown sugar, about 1 minute. Add the pecans and combine until the pecans are coated. Pour out onto another unlined sheet pan and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
• Place the remaining 2 cups brown sugar into a 3-quart heavy saucepan, being careful to not get sugar on the sides of the pan. Add the cream, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and salt and cook over very low heat (do not let simmer), stirring frequently with a rubber spatula, until the sugar is dissolved, 10 to 15 minutes. Wash down any sugar crystals on the side of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Clamp on a candy thermometer to the saucepan and boil the syrup over moderately-high heat until it registers 236 degrees F.
• Remove the pan from the heat, leaving the thermometer in place, and let cool until the syrup registers 220 degrees F, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the bacon and pecans. Working quickly, drop 1 tablespoon of pralines onto the prepared parchment-lined sheet pan. If the mixture starts to harden, place back on the stove over moderately-low heat and let it melt. Let the pralines sit until they harden, about 45 minutes.

NEW ORLEANS-STYLE PRALINES

Steps:

• Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper (important to have these ready because you'll have to work fast when they're done).
• In a large saucepan, simmer cream, sugar, corn syrup and orange zest slowly over low heat, until reduced (watch carefully for boil over).
• Stir continuously as soon as the mixture starts to stick to the bottom of the pan(the mixture will become thicker and turn light brown as is reduces and the sugar carmelizes).
• Stir in pecans when the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage (240 degrees), and continue to stir until the mixture starts to pull away from the sides of the pan.
• Test by dropping a quarter size amount onto the lined baking sheet, and if it holds a nice rounded top (instead of running out flat), and if it is dull looking (rather than oily/shiny)it is ready (approximately 248 degrees).
• Use two dessert spoons to spoon out the pralines onto the baking sheets (one to dip, and one to scrape off) - they're hot, be careful!
• Depending on the humidity, temperature, and luck - they may be ready in about 30 minutes, but don't worry - it could take up to a day or two.
• Store in an airtight container up to a week.

MAPLE PRALINE BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (135 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on paper towels.
• Spread the pecans onto an unlined baking sheet, and toast 7 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown and aromatic. Watch the nuts carefully as they bake, because they burn quickly. Set aside to cool.
• Stir the maple syrup, butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the hot candy resembles foamy caramel and a candy thermometer reads 270 degrees F (130 degrees C) (soft crack stage). Quickly stir in the pecans.
• Toss the bacon in the candy mixture to coat each strip, and remove with tongs to cool and harden on the prepared baking sheet. Last but not least... eat up!

ORIGINAL PRALINE BACON RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place a wire rack on a sheet tray. Combine the Pecans and brown sugar. Lay the bacon side by side on the rack, place in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until the bacon is sizzling and starting to brown around the edges. The object is for the bacon to cook about 3/4 of the way through before adding the topping.
• Mix the 3 remaining ingredients.
• Push the partially cooked bacon as close together as possible on the rack and brush with the cane syrup, this will give the topping something to grab on to. Cover generously with the Pecan/brown sugar topping. Place back in the oven for about 10 minutes more or until the topping is bubbly and the bacon is good and brown. Let cool.
• As the Praline Bacon cools it will set up and have a nice chewy bite to it.