These crisp pistachio pralines, not unlike brittle, can be cut to any size. Packaged individually or in clusters, they're just right for doling out coworkers or setting out for Santa.

Pistachio Praline Bars

Vegetable oil

sugar

water

shelled raw pistachios, finely chopped (2 cups)

salt

Lightly coat a 13-by-9-inch rimmed baking sheet with oil. Line with parchment, allowing 2 inches to hang over the long sides. Bring sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, tilting pan to swirl and washing down sides with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Boil, without stirring, until mixture turns medium amber, 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove from heat, and stir in pistachios and salt. Pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet, and quickly spread evenly with an offset spatula. Let cool until just set but still soft, about 2 minutes. Using the parchment as handles, transfer warm praline to a cutting board. Immediately cut praline into bars of desired size using a serrated knife lightly coated with oil. Let cool completely.

The easiest way to make this is to set the heat on medium (electric stove) and cover the pot with a tight fitting lid. When you begin to smell a caramel smell it is probably done... take the lid off and you will see bubbling brown liquid. Forget swirling and all that. I then just poured the liquid on greased parchment paper, covered with roasted/salted pralines and let cool. It was like brittle.

My first attempt went down in flames because I stirred the mixture.  After reading the comments (Hint: Whatever you do, don't stir the mixture!  Slightly swirl the pot when you brush the sides with water and that will be enough), my second attempt was more successful (all be it the end product was not as dark as the picture).  The plus side is I was able to salvage the pistachios.  So don't be afraid to try this recipe.  It will take practice for the less experienced (like me) but it is good.

I tried this recipe yesterday and wish I would have read this site beforehand.  It never turned into a hot syrupy liquid and was totally granualized.  To salvage the nuts I laid them on a bakling sheet under the broiler.  They are tasty as candied nuts but I'm very disappointed in this recipe.  I'd like to see a corrected version of the recipe.  They are beautiful in the magazine and tasty, but mine were not bars!

This recipe also works very well with toasted almonds.  I am so addicted to this stuff - it's hard for me to give it away when I make it for gifts!

Tried to make this twice and it didn't turn out either time. Waste of good pistachios!

The sugar did crystalize slightly, but the recipe worked just the same. I like the silpat comment and wish I had read it before I started. The mixture is extremely hot and solidifies quickly. I pressed it down with a wide spatula and the heel of my hand. I would try to pour it out of the saucepan not all in one spot. I used a butcher knife and again the heel of my hand to press it down into the mixture to cut the bars. That worked great. 
I'll try the corn syrup addition suggestion next time.

I use a small silicone basting brush (a kitchen must have!) to wash down the sides of the pan with water.  If you use another kind of basting brush, make sure it's one used only for pastries - you don't want bbq flavored candy!  Tartqueen's method works too but then you can't watch the progress of the cooking and risk over-cooking the sugar.  These really are easy, and worth practicing on a couple batches of sugar (w/o the nuts) - like 25 cents worth of ingredients for two or three tries!

Just finished making these green gems.  I don't think I cooked sugar long enough, did not become true amber color. I have made peanut brittle many time using sugar, corn syrup vanilla and butter and baking soda.  I will use my Peanut Brittle recipe and sub. it with Pistachios.

Pistachio Praline Bars this candy i used to eat a lot when i was a child in Mexico the are called pipitorias here in baja california insted of pistacho they are made with penuts....mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Just make sure you cook the sugar long enough to turn it amber. It can take quite some time, depending upon how hot your cooktop is. Also, don't worry about the water amount -- you can actually cook sugar to liquid without any. The water just speeds the process a bit.

If you don't want to wash down the sides of the pan, cook the sugar with a tight fitting lid for most of the time, and the condensation that washes down will help prevent crystallization, which ruins the caramelized sugar.

Thanks for the great tips EQjunk!  These look fabulous!!!

To krazykathy:  you can tilt the pan around, GENTLY, to wet the area, or use a spoon to dip some syrup from the center and wet the sides, (again gently- do not stir).  If a little crystalization does form on the pan above the syrup line, just ignore it, do not try to mix it back into the syrup.  If you get too much, throw it out and start over- you're not wasting anything but a little sugar and water.  The only reason it may be above your skill level is because you haven't done it!  Try!

When you say "wash down the pan" - How do you do that ant with what?  These do sond good and I'd like to try them, but reading the comments I a little afraid they might be above my level of cooking.  Help me please.
Thanks

Me again - I wanted to share one modification I made to the method.  Instead of pouring the mixture onto parchment, I lined a baking sheet with a silpat.  I then put another silpat over the mixture and carefully used my hands to pat the mixture out.  Be careful - that stuff is smokin' hot!  While the mixture was still a bit warm, I cut the squares on one of those flexible plastic cutting mats (NOT the silpat!).  Sugar syrups require a little practice, but the results are worth it.  Keep trying!

I made this for Christmas gifts, and it came out perfectly!  I mean, this stuff was irresistible!  The key here is DO NOT STIR!!!   Just be patient while the mixture melts and boils until it reaches the right temp (as evidenced by the amber color you want).  You will need to wash the sides of the pan down occasionally to make sure crystals don't form.  If the syrup looks at all gritty, toss it and start again - I don't think there's any way to save it.

I tried this also.  Mine never turned amber either.  If fact it was never liquid.  I wondered if perhaps the about of water was incorrect or if maybe butter was left out.  I would love to see an answer/ correction.

I haven't made these, but, in culinary school I always had trouble with sugar syrup crystallizing. One good solution I learned working in a pastry kitchen is to add a tablespoon or two of corn syrup. You can also try an acid like a tsp of lemon juice as well. I'll post again after I try this recipe.

I tried this recipe twice and the same thing happened as the other person stated.  I wonder if a step or ingredient was left out.

I tried this receipe three times and each time it failed.  The sugar mixture never became amber colored,  Would start, then get crystalized.  The pistachio's and sugar mixture never had a good consistency and fell apart.  I followed the receipe exactly.  Did anyone have this problem? What did I do wrong?
Any feedback will help!
Thanks,
chez_liz

pistachio praline bars

Servings: 15.5

Author : Martha Stewart

Ingredients

Instructions

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