It consists of nuts, usually almonds and/or hazelnuts, coated with caramelized sugar. It results in sweet and crunchy nuts. Pralines is the name of the whole caramelized nuts, but also the name of the paste prepared from ground nuts.
What is hazelnut praline paste made of?
In my recipe, I use toasted and de-skinned hazelnuts, and a “wet caramel” where the sugar is cooked with a few tablespoons of water until caramelised to a deep amber colour. Once it reaches that colour, the caramel is poured onto a baking sheet lined with a piece of baking/greaseproof paper and left to cool down until hardened into a big caramel shard.
I usually toast the hazelnuts in a (dry) frying pan or skillet on the stove, over a medium-high heat, until their skins are loosened and they get deep brown spots. However, you could also toast them in the oven: just spread them out evenly on a baking sheet or tray and pop them into the oven pre-heated to 350ºF (180ºC) for about 10 minutes, giving them a stir halfway through to ensure even browning.
How to make hazelnut praline paste – the quick & easy way
First, add your hazelnuts and the broken-up caramel shards to the bowl of a food processor or blender.
And then – start blending.
If the mixture is proving particularly stubborn and doesn’t want to form a paste even after prolonged blending, add a teaspoon or two of sunflower (or other neutral-tasting) oil to speed up this process. You can also add a pinch of salt to make the flavours really pop.
The final hazelnut praline paste shouldn’t be too thick – instead, it should be pourable, smooth and glossy.
And that’s really all there is to it – seriously, how easy is that?!
Once you’ve made the praline paste, transfer it to an air-tight container, like a mason jar, and keep it in the fridge for up to 1 month.
The possibilities of using this hazelnut praline paste are pretty much endless. Here are a few ideas:
- Swirl it into brownies or cheesecake.
- Add it to whipped cream or plain vanilla buttercream – you can then use this frosting to top cakes or cupcakes. It’s especially wonderful in combination with chocolate cakes and chocolate cupcakes, for those amazing Nutella vibes.
- Add it to chocolate ganache, and use that as a filling for sandwich cookies or even stuffed cupcakes (for example, substituting the chocolate fudge sauce in these Triple Chocolate Cupcakes).
However you end up using it – enjoy.
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Full complete recipe of Hazelnut Praliné | Pastry 101 | So useful to know
FAQ
What is praline made of?
What is hazelnut praline made of?
What is a substitute for praline paste?
What is praline in bakery?
What are American Pralines made of?
Basic American pralines are made with brown sugar, granulated sugar, cream, butter, and pecans. Though they’re popular across the Southern U.S., they’re most associated with New Orleans, Louisiana. Belgian pralines, or “soft-center Belgian chocolates” bare little resemblance to the New Orleans pralines you might be familiar with.
What are the different types of dental fillings available?
Dental fillings are single or mixed metals, polymers, glass, or other materials that are used for restoring or repairing teeth. There are numerous dental filling materials available. Gold, porcelain, silver amalgam (mercury mixed with metallic silver, tin, zinc, and copper), composite fillings, glass ionomer fillings, and ceramic are some of the materials used for dental fillings.
Do you need a lot of ingredients to make pralines?
You don’t need a lot of ingredients to make irresistible pralines. Praline recipes will differ depending on who’s cooking, but here’s the basic technique: Cook sugar, butter, and cream over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and brown. Add nuts, cook a bit more, then drop onto wax paper and let cool.
Are American Pralines made with cream?
American pralines cooling on a marble slab. Unlike European pralines, American pralines are made with cream. Pralines ( US: / ˈpreɪliːn /; New Orleans, Cajun, and UK: / ˈprɑːliːn /) are confections containing nuts – usually almonds, pecans and hazelnuts – and sugar. Cream is a common third ingredient.