Savannah's Candy Kitchen ★ 4.4
Walk-up praline counter on River Street, with cooks pulling pralines in copper kettles behind the front window. Saltwater taffy, fudge and chocolates inside.
Try: Pecan pralines pulled in the front window
History
Pralines came to the American South from French Louisiana, where the original almond-and-sugar Creole praline (named after 18th-century French diplomat Cesar du Plessis-Praslin) was adapted using Georgia and Louisiana pecans. The candy became a Savannah signature through River Street tourism in the 20th century, with Savannah's Candy Kitchen and River Street Sweets running open-kitchen pulling demos in their front windows.
Common allergens: Tree nuts, Dairy
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 300g light brown sugar
- 150g granulated white sugar
- 120ml double cream
- 60g unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 200g pecan halves, lightly toasted
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Method
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine sugars, cream and butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugars dissolve.
- Attach a candy thermometer. Cook without stirring until the mixture reaches 240F (soft-ball stage), about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla, pecans and salt. Beat with a wooden spoon for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture thickens and loses its gloss.
- Quickly drop tablespoons onto the parchment. Let set 15 minutes at room temperature until firm.
Tip from the editors. A candy thermometer matters. Pulled at 235F the praline is sticky; at 245F it is hard.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Where to eat pecan praline
Pecan praline in Savannah
Byrd Cookie Company ★ 4.4
Byrd has baked cookies in Savannah since 1924; the Waters Avenue flagship is a retail-tasting shop with the bake floor visible behind glass. Benne signature.
Worth the queue: Benne wafers, key lime cooler cookies
Leopold's Ice Cream ★ 4.6
Leopold's on Broughton stays open until midnight on Friday and Saturday, the 1919-founded ice-cream parlour handling late-night sweet stops at the fountain.
Try: Hand-crafted ice cream, root beer floats
More cities are in research. Want pecan praline covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.