How to Make Praline Paste - Full of Plants (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read ourdisclosure policy.

Praline is the most amazing sweet condiment one can have on hand. It’s basically caramelized nuts processed into a paste. It’s dangerously addictive and requires just 4 ingredients! Learn how to make praline paste with this simple recipe!

How to Make Praline Paste - Full of Plants (1)

📔 What is Praline?

Praline first appeared in France around 1600. It consists of nuts, usually almonds and/or hazelnuts, coated with caramelized sugar. It results in sweet and crunchy nuts.

Pralines is the name of the whole caramelized nuts, but also the name of the paste prepared from ground nuts. Here, we will prepare the paste that can be used in a multitude of desserts!

How to Make Praline Paste - Full of Plants (2)

🌰 How to Make Praline Paste

You will need just 4 ingredients to make the praline:

  • Almonds – Use unblanched raw almonds. Make sure the almonds are not already roasted.
  • Hazelnuts – Go with raw hazelnuts as well. You can use blanched hazelnuts or the ones with the skin on. If using hazelnuts that still have the skin on, rub them in a clean towel after roasting to remove the skin.
  • Sugar – White sugar works best for this recipe. Coconut sugar or brown sugar would burn when making caramel.
  • Vanilla – While you could use vanilla extract, I truly believe using a real vanilla bean brings the flavor to another level.

Making praline is a 3-step process: roasting the nuts, making the caramel, and blending.

First, you want to roast the nuts. To do so, place raw hazelnuts and raw almonds on a baking sheet and roast for 17-18 minutes.

Note: I went with half hazelnuts and half almonds for a more traditional praline, but you can use just hazelnuts, almonds, or other nuts like pecans, cashews, or peanuts!

How to Make Praline Paste - Full of Plants (3)

Next, melt sugar with water and heat until it turns into a golden brown caramel. As soon as the sugar has turned brown, add the roasted nuts, half of a vanilla bean and stir to coat. The caramel will harden and coat the nuts.

Transfer the nuts and the remaining caramel to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat and let it cool completely. Be careful; it will be very hot!

How to Make Praline Paste - Full of Plants (4)

Finally, transfer the caramelized nuts to a food processor or blender and process until it forms a paste. Your praline is now done!

🧁 Where to Use Praline Paste

Praline paste is extremely versatile; it can be used in the following ways:

  • Tarts: Spread some praline in the bottom of your pear, banana, or chocolate tarts. You can also use it to flavor vanilla pastry cream!
  • Yule log: Combined with chocolate cream, it makes a rich and nutty filling.
  • Chocolate cakes: For extra sweetness and to add a delicious caramel flavor.
  • Truffles: Replace half of the cream with praline paste to take your truffles to the next level!
  • Chocolate Spread: Combine praline paste with melted chocolate for an amazing chocolate spread. We recommend using 1 part of melted chocolate for 3 parts of praline.
  • Cookies: Either mixed into the batter or simply swirled into chocolate chip cookies, both ways are equally delicious!
How to Make Praline Paste - Full of Plants (5)

💬 FAQ

Can I make praline paste refined sugar-free?

It is possible but a little bit more tricky. I have a recipe for maple praline paste here.

Which one is best, a food processor or a blender?

Both work great. However, I find that a blender processes the nuts faster.

Can I make praline paste with other nuts?

Yes! Pecan praline, peanut praline, or even pistachio praline are also delicious!

Should the texture be smooth or crunchy?

That is up to you! Crunchy praline (“Praliné à l’ancienne” in French, meaning old-fashioned) is great if you want to add texture and crunchiness to your desserts. A very smooth praline is best for making chocolate spreads, yule logs, or entremets.

How long does praline paste keep?

Praline paste will keep for months at room temperature. It might separate after a while, so make sure to stir it well.

How to Make Praline Paste - Full of Plants (6)

The flavor of this praline paste is simply amazing. It’s a magical blend of caramel, roasted nuts, and fresh vanilla!

I do not recommend dipping a spoon into the praline, as you might not be able to stop once you have started!

🍫 More Praline Recipes

  • Chocolate Mousse Praline Domes
  • Vegan Praline Chocolates

Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe!

How to Make Praline Paste - Full of Plants (7)
How to Make Praline Paste - Full of Plants (8)

Want to Save This Recipe?

Enter your email below & we’ll send it straight to your inbox!Plus, you will receive new recipes every week!

I’d like to receive more tips & recipes from Full of Plants.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recipe

How to Make Praline Paste - Full of Plants (9)

How to Make Praline Paste

5 from 1 vote

Author: Thomas Pagot

Caramelized almonds and hazelnuts turned into the most delicious paste! Use in desserts, chocolate spread, cookies, and more!

Print Pin Review

Prep Time : 25 minutes mins

Cook Time : 20 minutes mins

Total Time : 45 minutes mins

Servings 650 g

Calories 104 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 and 2/3 cup raw hazelnuts
  • 1 and 1/2 cup raw almonds
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 vanilla bean

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  • Spread the almonds and hazelnuts into a single layer on the baking sheet and roast the nuts for 17-18 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes.

  • If using hazelnuts that are not blanched, transfer them to a clean towel and rub them to remove most of the skins.

  • Add the white sugar and water to a large skillet or saucepan (preferably with a light bottom to see the color of the caramel). Heat over medium heat to melt the sugar. Once it starts to bubble, keep heating until it turns golden brown. You can use a wooden spatula to stir from time to time until the caramel has a light brown color.

  • Add the roasted nuts and the vanilla bean to the caramel and stir to coat. Heat for another minute, stirring frequently to coat the nuts with the caramel.

  • Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a slipat, and use a spatula to spread it into an even layer. If there is still melted caramel in the skillet, transfer it over the nuts as well.

  • Let cool completely, about 1 hour. Next, break the praline into small chunks to fit it into a food processor or blender. Be careful not to cut yourself with the hard caramel.

  • Process for 3-5 minutes, or until the praline nuts turn into a smooth and almost liquid paste. Scrape down the sides if needed. You can stop once it has turned liquid but still has a crunchy texture or process it longer for a very smooth paste.

  • Transfer to a clean jar and store at room temperature. Praline will keep for months. If it separates, give it a good stir.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 tbsp | Calories: 104 kcal | Carbohydrates: 11.4 g | Protein: 2 g | Fat: 6.3 g | Fiber: 1.3 g | Sugar: 9.7 g

Course : Condiment, Snack, Sweets

Cuisine : French

Did you make this recipe? Tag @fullofplants on Instagram and hashtag it #fullofplants

How to Make Praline Paste - Full of Plants (10)

About the Author

Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.

Learn more ➜

How to Make Praline Paste - Full of Plants (11)

FREE VEGAN RECIPES EBOOK!

Join our newsletter to get your FREE 100-page printable eBook! You’ll also get new recipes delivered by email weekly.

How to Make Praline Paste - Full of Plants (2024)

FAQs

What is praline filling made of? ›

It consists of nuts, usually almonds and/or hazelnuts, coated with caramelized sugar. It results in sweet and crunchy nuts. Pralines is the name of the whole caramelized nuts, but also the name of the paste prepared from ground nuts.

How long does praline last? ›

Pralines will keep well for 1 or 2 weeks at room temperature. After that, the sugar will begin to crystallize and the candy will get harder and gritty. To ensure they stay fresh, proper storage is key. Pack them in an airtight container as soon as the candy hardens and use parchment or wax paper to separate layers.

How to soften pralines? ›

Since the problem is mostly that the sugar in the pralines gets hard and crystallized, you might try softening them the way you'd soften hard brown sugar. Place a terracotta sugar saver in the container or something else that's slightly damp, like a few slices of apple or a slice of fresh bread.

Is praline the same as hazelnut? ›

Pralines (US: /ˈpreɪliːn/; New Orleans, Cajun, and UK: /ˈprɑːliːn/) are confections containing nuts – usually almonds, pecans and hazelnuts – and sugar. Cream is a common third ingredient. American pralines cooling on a marble slab. Unlike European pralines, American pralines are made with cream.

What is a praline paste? ›

Praline is a paste of roasted and caramelised dried fruit that is used in many pastries and confectionery, as well as in the filling of certain chocolates.

What to use instead of praline paste? ›

Most people would probably substitute Nutella or skip the praline paste altogether, but I have a deep love of the stuff.

What causes pralines not to harden? ›

The simple answer is that there is too much moisture in your candy. One or more factors could be contributing to this problem. In hard candy making, it is important to cook all the water out of the sugar/corn syrup/water mixture.

What's the difference between a praline and a praline? ›

A praliné is a paste that is a mixture of nuts, chocolate and sugar. While in Belgium, a 'praline' is defined as a filled chocolate candy. Note that the term 'praline' is of Belgian origin.

Why do pralines turn white? ›

Pralines are a much-appreciated festive treat, but come to think of it, they're simply delicious at any time of the year. When your pralines turn white, you are seeing the recrystallization of sugar. And you are right that honey does technically slow down the rate at which crystals form in candy.

Why is my praline bitter? ›

Just make sure you buy your nuts raw and not already roasted. The main reason for that is that we will cook the nuts in a pan for 10-15 min. If you do this with roasted nuts, they will end up being over-roasted and your praline will taste very bitter.

Why are my pralines gritty? ›

Don't Stop Stirring Until the Pot Talks – Here, she's referring to the step of cooling the syrup before dropping the candies to harden. It starts off very loose and liquidy. As you stir, sugar crystals start to form and the syrup will start to feel thick and grainy against your spoon.

Can pralines go bad? ›

They never go “bad,” but after a week or so the sugar starts to crystalize and they lose the characteristic snap that you enjoy when biting them.

Is Ferrero Rocher A praline? ›

THE GOLDEN EXPERIENCE

We roast only the finest hazelnuts, dip them in smooth chocolate and surround them with crispy wafers and hazelnut pieces. Ferrero Rocher pralines have been bringing the people you care about together for decades.

What is another name for a praline? ›

Other terms for pralines include pecan pralines, pecan candy, plarines and pecan patties, to name a few. Modern day New Orleans pecan pralines are not very different than the ones made one hundred years ago. The common factors are dairy, sugar, and pecans.

Is marzipan the same as praline? ›

praline, in French confectionery, a cooked mixture of sugar, nuts, and vanilla, often ground to a paste for use as a pastry or candy filling, analogous to marzipan; also, a sugar-coated almond or other nutmeat. In the cookery of the American South, the term denotes a candy of sugared pecan meats or coconut.

What is a praline made of? ›

What is a Praline? The praline is a southern tradition, commonly made with sugar, corn syrup, milk, butter, and pecan halves. It's a confection with a history as rich as its flavor. The praline's origins may date back as far as the early 17th century.

What does praline filling taste like? ›

Fillings for Confectionery

Organic almond praliné with an intense nut flavor. Freshly cracked, medium roasted organic Spanish almonds are ground with caramelized sugar. The result is this smooth, dark-colored delicate praliné.

What is praline topping made of? ›

In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add brown sugar and chopped pecans; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until brown sugar melts and pecans smell toasted. Reduce heat to low; slowly and carefully stir in whipping cream and vanilla.

What is praline in bakery? ›

Praline paste is important in the commercial confectionery and bakery industries as a filling for chocolates, a flavouring for icings and creams, and an ingredient in various doughs. For this preparation, a mixture of sugar and almonds, or sometimes hazelnuts, is cooked and allowed to set.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Greg Kuvalis

Last Updated:

Views: 6068

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (55 voted)

Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Greg Kuvalis

Birthday: 1996-12-20

Address: 53157 Trantow Inlet, Townemouth, FL 92564-0267

Phone: +68218650356656

Job: IT Representative

Hobby: Knitting, Amateur radio, Skiing, Running, Mountain biking, Slacklining, Electronics

Introduction: My name is Greg Kuvalis, I am a witty, spotless, beautiful, charming, delightful, thankful, beautiful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.