Sea Salted Praline Pecan Clusters

Pralines are a beloved Southern classic.  To make them, sugar and butter are boiled together with pecans then separated into sweet, caramelized, buttery clusters.  For a girl who loves caramel, I can truthfully say they're simply heavenly!  This microwave version makes a fantastic small batch of homemade praline pecan clusters.  The coarse sea salt adds the "salty" to the sweet & salty combination that we love.   I recommend that you make these pralines in multiple batches instead of doubling or tripling the recipe for the best results.  You can make them into any size you like.  In a matter of minutes, you can enjoy homemade buttery pralines in the comfort of your own home.  Warning...you may never buy pralines again!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 Tbsp butter
1 1/4 cup pecan halves
1/4 tsp coarse sea salt [plus add'l for sprinkling]
1 tsp pure vanilla or rum extract

Directions:

Place all of the ingredients into  a microwave bowl, reserving the vanilla until the end of cooking.  [tip: Don't substitute milk for the heavy cream, use the real thing. ]  The bowl should be deep enough to allow the mixture to boil, without boiling over.
Cook in the microwave on high for 6 1/2 minutes, stopping to stir halfway through.  The mixture will boil, so handle with care to avoid burning.  After 6 1/2 minutes, stir well coating all of the pecans, then remove from the microwave.  The caramel should be thickened and beginning to form along the sides of the bowl.  If the caramel is still runny, don't panic, it just needs to cook a bit longer.  Microwave in additional 1 minute increments.  [tip: This recipe is based on a 1000 Watt microwave.  If your microwave has a lower wattage it may take longer to cook. Likewise, if the microwave has a higher wattage, less cooking time.]
Allow to cool on the counter for 15 seconds.  Mix in the vanilla and stir well.  Use a teaspoon, tablespoon or small ice cream scoop to scoop onto buttered wax paper or a silpat.  Immediately sprinkle the tops with sea salt.  Cool completely.  Yield: 12 jumbo/16 medium/20 small praline clusters

Cook's note:
Another technique to test the caramel: Drop a small amount into a glass of cold water.  If it becomes firm and you can roll it into a ball between 2 fingers, it's ready.


Source: melissassouthernstylekitchen.com