New Orleans Restaurant Pralines 2 cups brown sugar 1 cup light molasses 2 cups heavy cream 4 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 cups pecans, halves Boil brown sugar, molasses, cream and butter together, stirring all the time, until the sugar dissolves. Continue boiling without stirring until a soft ball is formed when a drop is placed in cold water. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla extract and nuts, and stir the mixture until it begins to crystallize. Drop spoonsful of the mixture in small heaps on buttered baking sheets, leaving enough room between the pralines for them to spread slightly.