If you’ve never had a pecan log, you’ve been missing out on one of life’s greatest pleasures, and today is your lucky day! Pecan logs are a marriage of two incredibly delicious homemade candies joined together and rolled in chopped pecans to form something even better than the sum of its parts.
Although there are several steps involved in the procedure for making these, it’s not a hard thing to do. Just plan ahead, follow the instructions I’ve provided, and create something spectacular. … Additionally, you’ll impress your family and friends with a wonderful homemade treat.
Pour 1 ½ cups heavy cream into a heavy saucepan, and swirl up to coat the sides.Add 3 cups sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar, and ¼ teaspoon salt, and stirring constantly, …… bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in 1 ½ tablespoons light corn syrup. Cook, stirring occasionally until it reaches 240 °F.Remove from heat, and pour directly onto marble slab (do NOT scrape the sides of the pan). As soon as fondant is cool enough to touch, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and …
… beat and knead with a bench knife, wooden spoon, and your hands as follows:Use the bench knife or wooden spoon to fold over the edges, and then use the heal of your hand to flatten it back down. Then repeat.Eventually, it will get stickier than it was before. At this point, beat it with the bench knife until the texture turns from sticky and stretchy to fudge. It happens suddenly.It should look like this.Immediately form into rolls measuring approximately 5 inches long by ¾ inch diameter, and …… wrap tightly with plastic. Refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for 3 months. If you want more ideas for, check out this recipe for cream fondant.
Make the Caramel
Line an 18×13-inch baking sheet with sides with parchment, and set aside.In a 4-quart saucepan, melt 1 cup butter over low heat. Add 2 cups brown sugar, 1 cup heavy cream, ½ cup light corn syrup, and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir constantly until it comes to a boil.Cook, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 240 °F (the soft-ball stage).Remove from heat, and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour caramel into the parchment-lined baking sheet, and spread to edges. Allow to cool completely. Once the caramel has completely set, use a pizza cutter (or sharp knife) to cut it into 10 (6×3-inch) rectangles.
Assemble the Logs
Place one log of fondant in the center of each caramel rectangle, and wrap the caramel all the way around it, sealing in all edges. Then roll each caramel wrapped log in chopped pecans.Wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.When ready to eat, slice and serve.ENJOY!
Pour cream into a heavy saucepan, and swirl up all sides. Add sugar, butter, cream of tartar, and salt, and stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in corn syrup. Then wash down sides of pan and the spoon.
Cook, stirring occasionally until it reaches 240 °F.
Remove from heat, and pour directly onto marble slab (do NOT scrape the sides of the pan). Allow to cool enough to touch and handle, and add vanilla. Beat and knead with a bench knife, wooden spoon, or your hands until it loses its shine, and becomes the texture of smooth fudge. Immediately form into rolls measuring approximately 5 inches long by ¾ inch diameter, and wrap tightly with plastic. This recipe makes approximately 10 rolls of that size. Refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for 3 months.
Caramel Instructions:
Line an 18×13-inch baking sheet with sides with parchment, and set aside.
Melt butter over low heat in a 3-quart saucepan. Add sugar, cream, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil and cook until it reaches 238-240 °F (soft-ball stage).
Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. Pour caramel into the parchment-lined baking sheet, and spread to edges. Allow to cool completely.
Using a pizza cutter (or sharp knife), cut the sheet of caramel into 10 (6×3-inch) rectangles.
Pecan Log Assembly Instructions:
Place one log of fondant in the center of each caramel rectangle, and wrap the caramel all the way around it, sealing in all edges.
Roll each caramel wrapped log in chopped pecans.
Wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least two hours.
When ready to eat, slice and serve.
Notes
May be stored in fridge for up to 3 weeks.
For fun variety, try using different nuts. For this batch I used roasted salted peanuts.
