Caramelised brown sugar, butter and cream candy studded with toasted Louisiana pecans, cooked to soft-ball stage and dropped onto marble until set into rough, sugar-grain discs. The French Quarter sweet-shop signature.

New Orleans pralines descend from the French sugared-almond praline brought by Ursuline nuns in the 1720s. By the 19th century, free women of colour (les marchandes) sold them on French Quarter street corners. Today Aunt Sally's, Leah's Pralines and Southern Candymakers are the canonical Quarter producers; Croissant D'Or carries them year-round.

3 editor picks for New Orleans Pralines in New Orleans, ranked by editorial score. All New Orleans signature dishes · New Orleans Pralines across every city.