Pecan Pralines

This is my recipe for pralines. My Aunt Jo used to make this every year at Christmas time. When she passed away my Grandaddy continued making them. A few years ago I got the recipe from him since he had stopped making them at some point. He is a diabetic, after all, so I suppose pralines just sitting around would be too much of a temptation. I know they would be for me. These are great! The original recipe called for condensed milk, but when I made my first batch, all I had was evaporated. They were not as sweet as the pralines we were used to eating as kids, but everyone liked them. So I've made them with evaporated milk ever since.

My brother-in-law has been on my case about making him some for weeks, months even. He said he had to beg me to make them. It's true. I finally got around to making him a batch this past weekend. Here's the recipe.

Pecan Pralines

2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups pecans

Butter 2—3 cookies sheets or plates. Combine sugar, butter and milk in a medium pot. Cook on medium heat until mixture forms a hard ball when dropped into cold water.

Add vanilla and pecans. Stir until mixture begins to get hard. Spoon onto buttered plates or cookie sheets. You can make the pralines however big or small you want them to be.

Chocolate Turtle Cake

I found this recipe for this Chocolate Turtle Cake

over at Visions of Sugar Plum.

Being a lover of Turtle candy and all things

chocolate & caramel, I had to try this recipe.

With this cake, you get a triple dose of chocolate,

with plenty of pecans and caramel.

It was so delicious!

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Chocolate Turtle Cake

(Recipe by Visions of Sugar Plum)
Makes: 8-10 servings

Cake Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup dark or regular cocoa powder
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
• 1 1/3 cups whole milk

Ganache Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans, toasted, plus additional whole pecans for decorating
• 1 tablespoon mini chocolate chips (optional)

• Caramel sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Butter and flour 2 (9-inch) cake pans.
   In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
3. In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat 3/4 cup butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla, until creamy, about 2 minutes.
4. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well combined.
5. Beat in 1 cup melted chocolate chips until combined.
6. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture, alternating with milk, until well combined, about 2-3 minutes.
7. Evenly scrape batter into prepared cake pans and smooth the surface with a spatula.
8. Bake at 350 degrees F, for 35-40 minutes, or until cake edges pull away from the pan, and a toothpick inserted into cake comes out with moist crumbs attached.
9. Cool for 12 minutes before running a knife around edges and inverting onto wire racks to cool completely.
10. To make the ganache, melt 1/4 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
11. Stir in heavy cream and bring to a boil; turn heat off and stir in 2 cups chocolate chips until melted and smooth.
12. Spread ganache evenly onto first layer of cake and top with about 1/3 of the pecans.
13. Place second cake layer on top.
14. Spread the rest of the ganache over cake top and sides.
15. Sprinkle and top with remaining pecans.
16. Decorate the top with whole pecans.
17. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips over the top, and drizzle caramel everywhere.