Homemade Nutty Praline

This velvety homemade praline paste turns ordinary desserts into fancy treats with its deep, nutty caramel goodness. I came up with this after wasting too much money on store brands, finding I could whip up something way better at home that costs way less.

I first threw this praline paste together for my mom's birthday cake since she's crazy about hazelnut flavors. The amazing smell of nuts toasting and sugar turning golden brought her running to the kitchen, and she couldn't stop taking little tastes before I even had a chance to use it in her cake!

Ingredients

• Hazelnuts: raw 200g or 1 1/2 cups. Gives that wonderful nutty taste that makes real praline paste so amazing. Try to find plump, uncracked hazelnuts.
• Almonds: raw 200g or 1 1/2 cups. Adds balance to the flavor and helps get the texture just right. Go for unblanched ones for more flavor punch.
• Sugar: 250g or 1 1/4 cups. Turns into caramel to create that yummy praline flavor. Plain white sugar does the job perfectly.
• Water: 62ml or 1/4 cup. Makes sure the sugar melts evenly for good caramel. If your tap water tastes funny, go with filtered instead.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat and Prepare:

Set your oven to 300°F or 150°C and lay out the almonds and hazelnuts flat on a baking sheet. Spread them around so they'll roast evenly, which really brings out their flavor.

Roast the Nuts:

Stick the tray in your hot oven for about 20 minutes. You'll know they're done when they smell amazing and look a bit darker. This roasting step wakes up all the tasty oils in the nuts that make your paste so flavorful.

Remove Skins:

After roasting, dump the hot nuts onto a clean dish towel and rub them hard. This helps get rid of most of the bitter skins, especially from the hazelnuts. Don't stress if some skin stays on, it adds a bit of character.

Make the Syrup:

Mix water and sugar in a heavy pot, ideally cast iron. Heat it until it boils, then keep cooking until it hits exactly 240°F or 116°C on a candy thermometer. This temp gets you the right caramel texture.

Caramelize the Nuts:

Put your roasted nuts in the hot syrup and keep stirring with a wooden spoon for around 20 minutes. You'll see the mix change - first the sugar gets grainy, then it slowly melts again and turns into a gorgeous amber coating on all the nuts.

Cool the Praline:

Quickly spread your caramelized nuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet in one layer. Let them cool completely, which usually takes half an hour. They must be totally cool before the next step or your paste will turn out greasy.

Blend to Perfection:

Break your cooled praline into chunks and put them in your food processor, doing small batches to keep it from getting too hot. The nuts will turn into powder first, then as you keep going, they'll release their oils and turn into a smooth flowing paste. This usually takes 5 to 8 minutes of processing.

Store Your Creation:

Put your fresh praline paste in a clean glass jar with a tight lid. The paste will get a bit thicker as it cools down, ending up just right for spreading.

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What really made me fall in love with homemade praline paste was watching my little girl spread it on warm toast one morning. She shut her eyes with every bite and called it "liquid gold." That simple moment of pure joy made all that time spent stirring totally worth it, and now I always keep some ready in my pantry.

Make It Your Own

What's great about making praline paste at home is you can switch things up. For something really rich, try using only hazelnuts instead of mixing them with almonds. This makes a more intense flavor that's like fancy Nutella but tastes more grown-up. Or you could try using macadamia nuts for a buttery, fancy version that goes really well with white chocolate treats.

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Perfect Pairings

This paste really stands out when you mix it into homemade gelato or ice cream, making swirls of nutty caramel throughout. For a fancy dessert, spread it between layers of puff pastry and bake till golden brown. My favorite way to use it is mixing it into buttercream for layer cakes. It turns a basic vanilla cake into something that tastes like it came from a fancy French bakery.

Troubleshooting Tips

If your paste seems too thick, don't sweat it. Just keep processing for a few more minutes. The natural oils in the nuts need time to come out. The heat from running the processor longer will help get that smooth texture you want. If it still feels too dry, add a teaspoon of mild oil like grapeseed. This helps make it silky without changing how it tastes.

Storage Wisdom

Your homemade praline paste stays good for about two weeks at room temperature if you keep it in an airtight container. Want it to last longer? Pop it in the fridge where it'll stay fresh for up to two months. Just remember to let it warm up before using since cold paste gets pretty hard. For super convenience, fill an ice cube tray with portions, freeze them, then put the frozen cubes in freezer bags. This way you'll have praline goodness ready to go for up to six months.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ What’s the best way to store this paste?

Keep it in a sealed glass jar at room temperature or store in the fridge for several weeks.

→ Can I control how sweet it is?

Sure, decrease the sugar by 100 grams for a less sugary result.

→ How do I get rid of hazelnut skins?

After toasting, use a clean kitchen towel to rub off the skins with ease.

→ How do I make the paste super smooth?

Process the caramelized nuts bit by bit in a food processor until it’s silky, not grainy.

→ Can I try other nuts for this?

Definitely! Swap in pecans, cashews, or walnuts for a fresh new spin.