- Praline
Praline is a family of
confection s made from nuts andsugar syrup .As originally invented in
France at the Château of Vaux-le Vicomte by the cook of the 17th century sugar industrialist, Praslin, pralines were whole almonds individually coated in caramelized sugar, as opposed to darknougat , where a sheet of caramelized sugar covers many nuts. The powder made by grinding up such sugar-coated nuts is called , and is an ingredient in manycake s, pastries, and ice creams. [Julia Child (1961), "Mastering the Art of French Cooking ", Alfred A. Knopf] When this powder is mixed with chocolate it becomes "praliné" in French, which gave birth to what is known in French as "praline belge", "Belgian chocolates". The word "praliné" is used colloquially in France and Switzerland to refer to these, known simply as "chocolates" in English i.e. various centres enrobed with chocolate. Fact|date=September 2008In most other countries the word praline is used to mean this powder, or even a paste, often used to fill chocolates, hence its use by
synecdoche inGermany , theNetherlands , andBelgium to refer to filled chocolates in general. In theUnited Kingdom , the term can refer either to praline (the filling for chocolates) or, less commonly, to the original whole-nut pralines.In
Europe , the nuts are usuallyalmond s or sometimeshazelnut s. InLouisiana andTexas ,pecan s are almost always used, and cream is often incorporated into the mixture.Fact|date=September 2008 In the United States, praline candy patties are one of the foods most often associated withNew Orleans , but are also popular in other cities in theDeep South , like Charleston,South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia, where the similar benne seed wafer is also common.Fact|date=September 2008Origin of the name
The praline (originally spelled "prasline") is saidWho|date=September 2008 to be named after the French soldier, diplomat, and sugar industrialist
Marshal du Plessis-Praslin (1598–1675), whose cook supposedly invented it at the Château of Vaux-le Vicomte. The cook, Clément Lassagne, after retiring from the marshal's service, is said to have founded the "Maison de la Praline", a confectioner's shop which still exists inMontargis , 110 km south ofParis . The name has certainly existed since the 18th century, but there is no secure connection with the Marshal or his cook.Fact|date=September 2008ee also
*Brittle
*Fudge
*Nougat
*Scots tablet
*Cezerye
*Penuche
*Wet walnuts References
External links
* [http://www.frenchquarter.com/dining/pralines.php History Of New Orleans Pralines with a recipe ]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
