What is a praline?

Search: praline

Why: Paula Deen is making "pecan praline morsels," y'all

Answer: French, from Count Plessis-Praslin, 1675 French soldier - a confection of nuts and sugar: as

1. almonds cooked in boiling sugar until brown and crisp
2. a patty of creamy brown sugar and pecan meats

Early pralines were whole almonds individually coated in caramelized sugar. French settlers brought this recipe to Louisiana, where both sugar cane and pecan trees were plentiful. During the 19th century, New Orleans chefs substituted pecans for almonds, added cream to thicken the confection, and created what became known throughout the American South as the praline.

In Europe, the nuts are usually almonds or sometimes hazelnuts. In Louisiana and Texas, pecans are almost always used, and cream is often incorporated into the mixture

Source: Merriam-Webster, Wikipedia

The More You Know: Do you know what nougat is?

Nougat is a term used to describe a variety of similar traditional confectioneries made with sugar or honey, roasted nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios, or hazelnuts are common), and sometimes chopped candied fruit. The consistency of nougat can range from chewy to hard depending on its composition, and it is used in a variety of candy bars and chocolates.

There are two basic kinds of nougat: white and brown. White nougat is made with beaten egg whites and is soft, whereas brown nougat (called nougatine in French) is made with caramelized sugar and has a firmer, often crunchy texture.