My love for pecans inspired me to ask Chef Cris to whip up a surefire recipe for authentic Southern pralines—a sweet and easy-to-make candy that’s always been one of my favorite ways to satisfy a sweet tooth. The flavor combination of pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon can’t be beat. Serve these tasty treats as a perfect conclusion to a perfect meal.
MAKES ABOUT 24 PRALINES
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES, PLUS 30 MINUTES TO COOL
2 cups granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup (¼ pound) unsalted butter
2 cups pecan halves
1 In a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and buttermilk. Stir until smooth.
2 Stir in the butter until melted.
3 Insert a candy thermometer into the mixture and, without stirring, bring the temperature to 238°F.
4 Remove the pan from the heat and stir, adding the pecans in small batches and beating briskly with a spoon for 1 minute after each addition.
5 Drop spoonfuls of the praline mixture onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
6 Cut each praline to 2 inches in diameter—you can use a cookie cutter to make them uniform.
7 Let the pralines sit until hardened and cool, about 20 minutes. Do not serve warm!
Millionaires, a homegrown Texas brand of candy, are made with milk, honey, fresh pecans, and caramel, and are covered in milk chocolate. In 1914 the first Millionaires were made by H. T. Pangburn in the kitchen of his family-owned drugstore in Fort Worth. This cheesecake recipe is based on the Turtle candies made by Pangburn that were a favorite of mine, and are a true Texas tradition.
MAKES 1 (9-INCH) CHEESECAKE
PREP TIME: 25 MINUTES, PLUS 1 DAY TO CHILL
COOKING TIME: 50 MINUTES
1 cup pecan pieces
2 cups vanilla wafer cookie crumbs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 (14-ounce) bag caramels
⅔ cup evaporated milk
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan.
2 Toast the pecans on a baking sheet in the oven for 6 minutes and set aside to cool.
3 Combine the cookie crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl and press the mixture into the bottom of the pan.
4 Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside to cool.
5 In a double boiler, or in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water (don’t let the bowl touch the water), melt the caramels in the evaporated milk. Stir until smooth and pour the mixture into the cooled crust.
6 Sprinkle the toasted pecans over the top.
7 In the bowl of an electric mixer, or using a hand-held mixer and a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla and beat until smooth, scraping down the bowl several times.
8 Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until smooth.
9 Melt the chocolate chips in the double boiler and whip in the cheese mixture. Pour the batter over the caramel layer.
10 Bake until barely set, about 40 minutes.
11 Cover, refrigerate overnight, and serve cold the following day.
Carrot cake is my favorite dessert. This is Ruth’s special recipe, and one that has been a Ryan family favorite for a long time. I’ve enjoyed this carrot cake on many birthday celebrations and it is always a highlight of the meal. Ruth has experimented with a number of cream cheese frostings, and this is the best she’s found—as she says, “It works perfectly every time!”
MAKES 1 (9-INCH) CAKE
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 45 MINUTES
2 cups granulated sugar
1½ cups vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups peeled, grated carrots
½ cup chopped pecans
1 (1-pound) box confectioners’ sugar
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease three 9-inch round cake pans.
2 In the bowl of a standing mixer, or using a hand-held mixer and a medium bowl, beat the sugar and oil until blended.
3 Add the eggs one at a time; beat after each addition.
4 Sift the dry ingredients into the mixture and continue beating.
5 Add the carrots and pecans and, using a wooden spoon, mix well.
6 Pour the batter into the cake pans. Bake for 45 minutes.
7 Cool well in the pans before frosting.
8 To prepare the frosting, in the bowl of a standing mixer, or using a hand-held mixer and a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients and beat until the frosting is a smooth consistency for spreading. (The frosting will seem stiff at first, but after thoroughly mixing, it will soften enough to spread evenly over the cake.)
9 Spread the frosting between each layer of the cake, on top, and on the sides. Serve and enjoy!