Praline 234224 222400749 2008-06-29T04:10:05Z 74.248.71.201 rm commercial linkspam to store [[Image:Sweet Julep's pralines on a cutting board.jpg|thumb|Pralines on a cutting board]] [[Image:Sweet Julep's pralines posed.jpg|thumb|Pralines and box posed]] [[Image:Sweet Julep's pralines in box on wood floor.jpg|thumb|Pralines in a box]] '''Praline''' is a family of [[confection]]s made from [[nut (fruit)|nut]]s and [[sugar syrup]]. In [[Europe]], the nuts are usually [[almond]]s or sometimes [[hazelnut]]s. In [[Louisiana]] and [[Texas]], [[pecan]]s are almost always used, and cream is often incorporated into the mixture. In the United States, praline candy patties are one of the foods most often associated with [[New Orleans]], but are also popular in other cities in the [[Deep South]], like [[Charleston, South Carolina|Charleston]], [[South Carolina]] and [[Savannah, Georgia|Savannah]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], where the similar [[sesame|benne seed]] wafer is also common. As originally invented in [[France]] at the [[Vaux-le-Vicomte|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 dark [[nougat]], where a sheet of caramelized sugar covers many nuts. The powder made by grinding up such sugar-coated nuts is called ''pralin'' or ''praliné'' in French, and is an ingredient in many [[cake]]s, pastries, and ice creams. In 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]] in [[Germany]], the [[Netherlands]], and [[Belgium]] to refer to filled [[Chocolate confectionery|chocolate]]s in general. In the [[United Kingdom]], the term can refer either to praline (the filling for chocolates) or, less commonly, to the original whole-nut pralines. ==Origin of the name== The praline (originally spelled ''prasline'') is said to be named after the French soldier, diplomat, and sugar industrialist [[Marshal du Plessis-Praslin]] (1598–1675), whose cook supposedly invented it at the [[Vaux-le-Vicomte|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 in [[Montargis]], 110 km south of [[Paris]]. The name has certainly existed since the 18th century, but there is no secure connection with the Marshal or his cook. ==See also== *[[Brittle (food)|Brittle]] *[[Fudge]] *[[Nougat]] *[[Scots tablet]] *[[cezerye]] *[[Penuche]] *[[Wet walnuts]] ==External links== * [http://www.frenchquarter.com/dining/pralines.php History Of New Orleans Pralines with a recipe ] {{confection-stub}} [[Category:Confectionery]] [[Category:New Orleans cuisine]] [[de:Praline]] [[es:Praline]] [[eo:Pralino]] [[fa:پرالین]] [[fr:Praline]] [[he:פרלין]] [[nl:Bonbon (zoetigheid)]] [[pl:Praliny]] [[ru:Пралине]] [[fi:Konvehti]] [[sv:Pralin]] [[tr:Pralin]]