Legacy Recipes, Part 3: Sweet Desserts
Mama Florence Jean's Pecan Candy
Contributed by Gaynell Brady (NAI Associate Editor)
Recipes in our family are rarely written down. You have to learn them by watching and mimicking the techniques. I learned by watching my elders. My mom, Florence, is not a big fan of cooking. In fact, she hates cooking. She often tells everyone her sister Jackie is the cook in the family. One thing she makes exceptionally well is pecan candy. Some folks in New Orleans call it praline candy; however, we always called it pecan candy. My mom usually made this tasty treat in the fall when the temperature was cooler. It takes a lot of love and patience to create this dish.
Ingredients
- 1 can of evaporated milk (12 ounces)
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter (do not use margarine)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 pinch of salt
Directions
- Cook sugar, butter, salt, and evaporated milk in a heavy-bottom sauce pan. Do not use a non-stick pot.
- Stir frequently. Do not walk away from the pot.
- Bring the mixture to a boil until it reaches the soft boil stage (235°F–240°F / 112°C–116°C).
- Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray or lightly coat with butter.
- When the mixture gets to the soft boil stage, add the pecans and vanilla.
- Place large cooking spoonfuls on parchment paper and let it cool.
Grandma’s Brown Sugar Frosting
Contributed by Robin Mayes (NAI Author)
One of my favorite recipes as a kid was the brown sugar glaze my mother would sometimes pour over warm yellow cake. This was the topping she defaulted to whenever she was out of powdered sugar for the “fancy” frosting. She cooked the brown sugar and butter on the stovetop and then added a bit of cream and beat it mercilessly before drizzling it over the cake.
The sweet topping was delicious—especially to kids who were giddy to sometimes sneak a lump of brown sugar for a treat as if it were store-bought candy! But it was the texture of what we called “brown sugar frosting” that I enjoyed the most! It was a little gritty and sandy. Sometimes it stayed almost fluffy. Sometimes it was more like a glaze. Occasionally it hardened and cracked when you put a fork through it, but whatever the consistency, we loved it!
As an adult, my children also loved my version of “Grandma’s Brown Sugar Frosting.” For whatever reason, every time I made it, I would call Mom on the phone and ask for the recipe yet again. Ever patient, she kindly walked me through the process every time.
Now that she is gone, I have never made it successfully again. I would love to hear if anyone else remembers this recipe.
Lemon Ice Box Pie
Contributed by Theresa Coble (NAI Author)
Reportedly, Ruth Dunsworth—my mother-in-law’s mother and the wife of the mayor of Arlington—obtained this recipe from the proprietor of La Tapatia in the 1950s. I’ve added copious amounts of lemon zest and over time, by experience, I’ve interpreted recipe measurements like “soup spoons” of butter and sugar into ratios that work. Other than that, this recipe makes a good old-fashioned Lemon Ice Box Pie like those served up at La Tapatia Mexican Restaurant in Arlington, Texas, all those years ago. It’s a Coble family heirloom—and my husband, Dean, always requests Lemon Ice Box Pie for his birthdays and special occasions.
Ingredients and Directions
Pie Crust:
- Crush 3/4 c. vanilla wafers and 1/2 c. coconut bar cookies.
- Add to 4 T. melted butter and 2 T. sugar and mix.
- Press into a 10” pie plate leaving a small amount for pie topping.
- Bake 5-7 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cool.
Filling:
- Blend 2 cans sweetened condensed milk, the zest from two lemons, and 5/8 c. fresh-squeezed lemon juice.
- Beat 2 c. heavy cream until very stiff.
- Fold 3/4 of whipped cream into the lemon mixture, reserving 1/4 of the whipped cream to top the filling.
Assemble & Refrigerate:
- Put filling in pie crust.
- Spread reserved whip cream across the top.
- Sprinkle with remaining crumbs.
- Refrigerate until set, i.e., 8-10 hours or overnight.
Charlene’s Pizzelle Recipe (better known as “Nana Cookies” in the Tate Household)
Contributed by Britt Tate-Beaugard (NAI Author)
Ingredients
- 6 eggs (room temp)
- 2 sticks of butter
- 1.5 cups of sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups of flour
- 3 tsp of baking powder
Directions
Melt (barely) the butter. Stir in sugar. Mix by hand until light yellow in color. Add eggs. Mix thoroughly. Add vanilla, mix. Stir in flour and baking powder by hand. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto pizzelle iron and cook for 45-90 seconds based on the iron.
Saltine Toffee
Contributed by Jamie King (Information Systems & Digital Networking Manager)
Very early on in my career with NAI, my coworker Jolene made these yummy treats for an NAI potluck. They quickly became my go-to Christmas cookie recipe and now I've been making them for nearly 20 years and they are always a fan favorite.
Ingredients
- 4oz Saltine Crackers
- 1 Cup Butter
- 1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
- 2 Cups Milk Chocolate Chips
- 3/4 Cups Chopped Pecans
- Optional - replace pecans with M&Ms, Oreos, or other fun toppings
Directions
- Line cookie sheet with saltine crackers in a single layer.
- In a saucepan, combine the sugar and butter. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Immediately pour over saltines and spread to cover crackers completely.
- Bake for 5-6 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top.
- Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Spread melted chocolate and top with optional toppings.
- Cool completely and break into pieces.