Almond Praline Butter Recipes

ALMOND PRALINE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place almonds on a baking sheet, and toast until golden brown and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool.
• Butter a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet. Spread toasted almonds in an even layer on pan. Place sugar and water in a medium saucepan; stir to combine. Place over medium-high heat; bring to a boil, brushing down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent crystals from forming. Once sugar is dissolved, cook without stirring until sugar is deep amber. Add lemon juice; immediately pour over almonds, coating with a thin layer. If caramel doesn't cover all the nuts, tilt pan slightly to distribute, or stir in nuts with a wooden spoon, being careful not to touch caramel or hot pan. Cool completely. Gently twist pan to release praline. Break into pieces. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

ALMOND PRALINE BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F. and lightly oil a 12-inch square of foil.
• In a large baking pan toast almonds in one layer in middle of oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until fragrant and golden.
• In a heavy saucepan bring sugar, water, and cream of tartar to a boil over moderate heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, without stirring, washing down sugar crystals on side of pan with a brush dipped in cold water, until syrup turns pale golden. Continue to cook syrup, without stirring, swirling pan occasionally, until it is a deep golden caramel. Add almonds, stirring until coated well. Immediately pour mixture onto foil, spreading as much as possible to form one layer, and cool completely, about 30 minutes. Remove praline from foil and break into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Praline may be made 1 week ahead and kept in an airtight container.
• Reserve 1/2 cup praline for garnish if desired and in food processor chop fine remaining praline. Add salt and continue to let motor run until nuts release their oil and mixture turns into a smooth paste, about 15 minutes. Let praline butter cool. Praline butter may be made several days ahead and kept chilled, covered. Let praline butter soften to room temperature before using.

ALMOND BUTTER

Steps:

• Place the almonds in a food processor. Process on high until ground almonds begin to form a ball. Drizzle olive oil over almonds and continue to process, stopping occasionally to scrape sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed. Store in an airtight container.

ALMOND PRALINE POWDER

Steps:

• Put the praline paste, tapioca maltodextrin, salt, orange oil, lemon oil, and zests in a food processor. Process, scraping the sides and bottom of the processor several times, until the mixture forms a powder. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

PRALINE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Make the praline: Butter a baking sheet, or line it with a Silpat (a French baking mat). Set aside. In a small, heavy saucepan, bring 1 cup sugar and the water to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves; wash down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent crystals from forming.
• Continue cooking, without stirring, until dark amber, swirling pan to color evenly. Remove from heat; stir in nuts, distributing evenly. Immediately pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet. Let sit until hardened and completely cool.
• Break praline into pieces, and place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process to a fine powder. Measure out 1 1/2 cups praline powder, and set aside. Reserve remaining powder for another use.
• Make the buttercream: In the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water, whisk together egg whites and remaining 1/2 cup sugar until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved.
• Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on high speed until mixture is stiff and cool, about 5 minutes. Add butter all at once, and beat until mixture has a smooth, spreadable consistency, about 5 minutes. Don't worry if the buttercream separates and appears curdled; it will come back together with continued beating.
• Add praline powder; beat to combine. If using the same day, set aside, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature, until ready to use. Or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Before using, bring to room temperature; beat with paddle attachment until smooth.

EASY BUTTERSCOTCH-ALMOND PRALINES

Steps:

• Line cookie sheet with foil. In 2-quart saucepan, stir all ingredients except boiling water with wooden spoon. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until boiling rapidly. Boil and stir 3 minutes. Place boiling water in measuring cup. Remove candy from heat and continue stirring vigorously 4 to 5 minutes or until thick but still shiny.
• Working quickly, drop praline mixture by tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet, flattening into patty shape with back of wooden spoon if needed. If mixture stiffens too much to drop from a spoon, quickly stir in hot water, 1/4 teaspoon at a time, until smooth. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Store in tightly covered container.

ALMOND PRALINE CAKES

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and milk. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Pour into four 8-oz. ramekins or custard cups coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with almonds; set aside. , In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Spoon over almonds. , Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of ramekins to loosen. Invert cakes onto dessert plates. Serve warm or at room temperature.

PRALINE BUTTER

Steps:

• In a heavy 6-inch skillet evenly spread out the sugar.
• Heat over medium-high heat until sugar begins to melt, shaking skillet occasionally to heat sugar evenly.
• Carefully add pecan and 1 tbl butter or margarine.
• Reduce heat to low; cook until sugar melts and turns golden brown, stirring constantly.
• Remove skillet from the heat; spread candied nuts on a buttered baking sheet or piece of foil.
• Cool. Break into small clusters.
• Place clusters in a plastic bag and, using a rolling pin, crush the candied nuts.
• In a mixing bowl, stir together remaining butter, vanilla extract and candied nuts.
• If not serving immediately, cover and chill.
• Let the butter stand at room temperature for about 1 hour before serving.

ALMOND PRALINE CAKE WITH MASCARPONE FROSTING AND CHOCOLATE BARK

Steps:

• For ganache filling:.
• Simmer cream and sugar in medium saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add chocolate; whisk until smooth. Chill until just spreadable, about 6 hours.
• For almond cake:.
• Preheat oven to 350°F Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottoms with parchment paper; dust pans with flour. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl. Using heavy-duty mixer, blend brown sugar and butter in large bowl. Beat in almond paste 1 piece at a time, then beat until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts. Fold in dry ingredients. Divide batter among pans; smooth tops. Bake cakes until tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on rack.
• For almond praline:.
• Line baking sheet with foil. Stir sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring until deep amber, swirling pan and brushing down sides with wet pastry brush occasionally. Mix in nuts. Pour onto foil; cool. Peel foil off praline. Chop praline coarsely. DO AHEAD Praline can be made 1 day ahead; store airtight at room temperature.
• For mascarpone frosting:.
• Beat all ingredients in large bowl just to soft peaks (do not overbeat or mixture will curdle).
• Run knife around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out; peel off paper. Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread half of ganache over; sprinkle with 1/4 cup praline. Top with second cake layer. Spread remaining ganache over; sprinkle with 1/4 cup praline. Top with third cake layer. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. DO AHEAD Cake can be made 1 day ahead; cover with cake dome and chill. Store remaining praline airtight at room temperature.
• For chocolate bark:.
• Line baking sheet with foil. Melt chocolate in small bowl set over saucepan of simmering water. Stir until smooth. Remove from over water. Drizzle all but 1 tablespoon chocolate over foil in thick (about 1-inch-wide) zigzag lines (chocolate will pool in spots). Sprinkle 3 tablespoons praline over chocolate; chill bark until firm, about 1 hour.
• Press praline around bottom 2 inches of cake; sprinkle more atop. Peel foil off bark; break into pieces. Press edges into frosting atop cake. Remelt 1 tablespoon chocolate over simmering water, stirring often. Using spoon, drizzle chocolate over cake. DO AHEAD Chill up to 4 hours. Serve cold or at room temperature.