Praline pride !

© Camille Gabert

In the town of Montargis (in the department of Loiret), Clément Jaluzot, a cook in the service of the Count of Plessis-Praslin, came up with the idea of caramelising almonds. This was in the seventeenth century and pralines were then a lovely brown colour. They would remain so until a natural red colouring made with cochineal dye was added to the recipe. Who, when and how? These questions all remain a mystery! According to legend, an eighteenth-century Lyonnais confectioner was inspired by the rose gardens of the Rhône to dye his pralines. Myth or reality? Nobody knows the answer, but this sweet delicacy, now red or pink in colour, became a symbol of the pâtisserie Labully in Savoy, and its Saint-Genix cake (brioche with red pralines). The year was 1880. A few decades later, in 1955, Auguste Pralus from the town of Roanne created his own version of the pink praline brioche. The Praluline© was born! Next came its cousin: the praline tart. According to Yves Rouèche, Lyonnais food historian: “in 1980, Alain Chapel’s book, La cuisine c’est beaucoup plus que des recettes (cookery is far more than just recipes), mentioned a praline tart recipe for the first time.” At the time, Lyon was mostly famous for its pork products and tripe. And this was the problem! Restaurant owners were lacking a sweet speciality to offer diners at the end of the meal, other than the bugne. The confectioners Sève and Jocteur jumped at the opportunity, each creating their own version. Since then, the praline has gone from strength to strength, appearing in a variety of forms, including spreads, syrups, ice creams, chocolates and more…

Where to eat pralines?