Chocolate Pecan Pralines

This recipe is from Chocolate and Cocoa Recipes, a little chocolate cookbook printed in 1909.

• 3 cups of granulated sugar
• 1 cup of cream
• 1 cup of sugar cooked to caramel
• 2 squares of Baker's Chocolate
• 3 cups of pecan nut meats

Stir the sugar and cream over the fire until the sugar is melted, then let boil to the soft ball degree, or to 236° F. Add the chocolate, melted or shaved fine, and beat it in, then pour the mixture onto the cup of sugar cooked to caramel; let the mixture boil up once, then remove from the fire; add the nut meats and beat until the mass begins to thicken. When cold enough to hold its shape drop onto an oil cloth or marble, a teaspoonful in a place, and at once set a half nut meat on each. Two persons are needed to make these pralines, one to drop the mixture, the other to decorate with the halves of the nuts. The mixture becomes smooth and firm almost instantly. Maple or brown sugar may be used in place of all or a part of the quantity of granulated sugar designated.