Home Today Is A 17th Century French Sugar Industrialist Invented Pralines

A 17th Century French Sugar Industrialist Invented Pralines

On June 24th, National Pralines Day honors a confection made from nuts (whether in whole pieces or ground) and sugar syrup. Pralines may also refer to any chocolate cookie containing the ground powder of nuts.

  • At the Chateau of Vaux-le-Vicomte during the 17th century, French sugar industrialist, Marshal du Plessis-Praslin (1598-1675), originally inspired the early pralines. These first pralines were whole almonds, individually coated in caramelized sugar.
  • The powder made by grinding up sugar-coated nuts is called pralin. This is an ingredient in many types of cakes, pastries and ice creams. When this powder is mixed with chocolate, it becomes praliné in French, which gave birth to what is known in French as chocolat praliné.
  • The French settlers brought their recipe into Louisiana, an area of the United States 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 thus created what is known throughout the Southern United States as the praline.
  •  Although the stories surrounding the creation differ, it is widely agreed that pralines are named after a French diplomat from the early 17th century whose name and title was César, duc de Choiseul, comte du Plessis-Praslin.
  • In New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast, where there are many communities settled by the French, the pronunciation is prah-leen, with the long aaah sound. Other regions of the country, including parts of Texas, Georgia, and New England have anglicized the term and pronounced it pray-leen.
  • In Europe, the praline has evolved to an entirely different candy altogether. In Belgium and France, praline is a smooth paste of cocoa blended with finely ground nuts and used to fill chocolate bon-bons, but when it came to New Orleans it took another road.
  • In 1915, Louise Agostini, wife of Jean Neuhaus II, developed the first ‘ballotin’, a box in which French pralines were packed.
  • There are three main types:
    • Belgian pralines
    • French pralines
    • American pralines
  • Belgian pralines are also known as “(soft-center) Belgian chocolates”, “Belgian chocolate fondants” and “chocolate bonbons” in English-speaking countries.
  • French pralines began in the home of the French Count of Plessis-Praslin (1598 – 1675); the word praline derived from the name Praslin.
  • American pralines are a softer, creamier combination of syrup and pecans, hazelnuts or almonds with milk or cream, resembling fudge
  • 1600s – Marshal du Plessis-Praslin’s chef Clement Lassagne invented the praline by mixing cooked caramel and almonds.
  • 1727 – Pralines are brought over from France by Ursuline nuns who used young women to create them as they were molded for marriage.
  • 1800s – Free women of color were permitted to sell pralines as Pralinieres, offering them more economic security and better opportunity.
  • 2000s – Pralines have remained very similar to their origins and are considered an essential part of southern culinary tradition.

Sources:

National Day Calendar

Foodimentary

Faith Based Events

Mobile-Cuisine

Just Fun Facts

National Today


Disclaimer

The information contained in South Florida Reporter is for general information purposes only.
The South Florida Reporter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents of the Service.
In no event shall the South Florida Reporter be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service. The Company reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents of the Service at any time without prior notice.
The Company does not warrant that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components