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Have you ever noticed the caramelised glaze over a butterscotch sundae or a chocolate mousse? That golden topping is none other than praline and is the heart of many desserts, baked goods, and even beverages. The caramel swirl is filled with nuts like hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, etc. and can also be enjoyed as is.
Originating from France, Praline, everyone now knows, has a crunchy exterior with a mouth-melting texture. If you have a sweet tooth, you would definitely love adding it to your chocolate bars, hot cup of latte, ice cream bowls, and much more. So, why don’t you learn to ace making it at home and know everything about where you can use it?
What Is Praline?
Praline is one of the most delightful treats made with caramelised sugar. It is usually made by adding nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, etc. if you want to enjoy it as a standalone.
To add more crunch, you can add toasted nuts in the caramelised sugar. Next, you can spread the mixture on a baking tray and set it aside to cool down. Once the bar thickens, you can enjoy it as a snack that has a rich, nutty flavour that melts in your mouth. And eating it as a snack isn’t the only option; there are many other ways you can level up your desserts and beverages.
Tips To Make The Perfect Praline?
While making praline for the first time, there are certain tips and tricks that you should keep in mind to make the perfect praline.
- If you are adding nuts and dry fruits to caramelised sugar, ensure that the sugar is completely melted and you’re mixing as fast as you can before it starts to thicken.
- Make sure that while pouring praline liquid into the baking tray, you spread it evenly, giving it some space to thicken once it cools down.
- Always choose the best quality of nuts as their addition will have a direct impact on the praline’s taste. If the nuts are not up to the quality, your effort of caramelising sugar might go to waste.
- After you’re done making praline, store it in an airtight container to maintain its crunchy texture.
- As a bonus tip, you can also add some spices like cinnamon or cardamom as per your preference to elevate the taste further.
Ways To Use Praline
As a sweet snack: Pralines can be cut into bars and enjoyed as is by children and adults who are fond of having a little sweet treat every now and then.
Dessert Topping: Thanks to the crunchy texture, pralines act as an impeccable topping to desserts like ice cream sundaes, cupcakes with frosting, puddings, etc.
Candies: If you’re looking for bite-sized delicacies for your kids or as an after-meal sweetener for yourself, you can make square-shaped candies out of praline and decorate them with chocolate chips, sprinkles, etc.
Baked Goods: Pralines, when infused in baked goods like cookies, brownies, or muffins, work like magic as you get the taste of mouth-melting caramel in every bite.
Beverages: You can also add bite-sized pralines to your hot chocolate, coffee or tea and add a hint of toasted nuts and caramel to your regular beverage.
