Peanut Butter Pralines

Makes 18 pralines.

1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups pecan pieces, roasted

In a saucepan, combine the sugars, milk, syrup, butter, salt and peanut butter over medium heat. Stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves. Continue stirring until the mixture begins to bubble around the edges of the pan, about 12 minutes.

Add the pecans and continue stirring until the mixture thickens - about 8 minutes, and it reaches the soft ball stage (when a small amount of the mixture is dropped into a cup of cold water forms a soft ball). Remove from the heat and drop by spoonsful onto wax paper. Let cool.

Lift the pralines off the paper with a thin knife.