Pralines Day is observed annually on June 24. Pralines were originally created in France by coating almonds in caramelised sugar.
The powder made by grinding up sugar-coated nuts is called pralin. This is an ingredient in many types of cake, pastries and ice creams. When this powder is mixed with chocolate, it becomes praliné in French, which gave birth to what is known in French as chocolat praliné.
The French settlers brought their recipe into Louisiana, an area of the United States where both sugar cane and pecan trees were plentiful.
During the 19th century, New Orleans chefs substituted pecans for almonds, added cream to thicken the confection and thus created what is known throughout the Southern United States as the praline.
There are a variety of pralines to be enjoyed:
Belgian Pralines – contain a hard chocolate shell with a softer, sometimes liquid, filling.
French Pralines – a combination of almonds and caramelized sugar.
American Pralines – contain milk or cream and are softer and creamier, resembling fudge.
Happy Pralines Day.
