### Walnut Pralines Recipe **Ingredients:** - 1 cup walnuts (halved or roughly chopped) - 1 cup granulated sugar - 1 cup brown sugar (light or dark, depending on your preference) - 1/2 cup heavy cream - 1/4 cup unsalted butter - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - Pinch of salt **Instructions:** 1. **Prepare Your Walnuts**: - If you prefer smaller pieces, roughly chop the walnuts. If you like a chunkier praline, leave them halved. - Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently until they are fragrant. This will enhance their flavor. 2. **Cook the Sugar Mixture**: - In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, heavy cream, butter, and a pinch of salt. - Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to boil. 3. **Boil the Mixture**: - Once it starts boiling, stop stirring and let it cook until it reaches the soft ball stage (about 235°F to 240°F on a candy thermometer). This should take around 5-7 minutes. 4. **Add Walnuts and Vanilla**: - Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately stir in the vanilla extract and toasted walnuts. Stir the mixture vigorously until it thickens slightly and becomes creamy. 5. **Form the Pralines**: - Quickly drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. You can make them as large or small as you like. - Let the pralines cool and harden at room temperature. 6. **Store**: - Once completely cooled, store the walnut pralines in an airtight container. They should keep well for up to a week. ### Tips: - **Flavor Variations**: You can experiment by adding a touch of cinnamon or a pinch of cayenne pepper for a bit of spice. - **Chocolate Drizzle**: If you're a fan of chocolate, consider drizzling melted chocolate over the cooled pralines for an added layer of flavor. Using walnuts in this recipe will give the pralines a slightly different flavor profile, but they will still be rich, nutty, and delicious!