2 c. heavy cream
4 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. pecan halves
2 tbsp. butter
Butter to grease pan

Butter a medium size saucepan. Pour in cream and place over high heat. When it begins to boil, add sugar and stir rapidly until it dissolves. Stir in vanilla and pecans and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture reaches softball stage (236 degrees on a candy thermometer). Remove from heat and quickly beat in butter. The mixture should lose its gloss and become very cloudy.

Lay out a long strip of wax paper on a work surface. Moisten it with a damp towel. Drop good sized spoonfuls of hot praline mixture onto wax paper, stirring mixture occasionally as you go along to keep it well combined. Remove pralines from paper before they cool completely to avoid breaking. Store in tightly sealed containers between layers of wax paper. Makes about 2 dozen.