To accompany Ice-Cream Bombes with Brandied Dried Cranberries and Cherries

　　

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

　　3/4 cup pecans, chopped coarse

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　

Step 1

Lightly oil a baking sheet.

　　

Step 2

In a dry heavy saucepan cook sugar over moderate heat, stirring with a fork, until melted and cook, without stirring, swirling pan, until a golden caramel. Stir in pecans with salt until coated well. Immediately pour mixture onto baking sheet, tilting baking sheet to make a thin layer, and cool completely, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove praline in shards from baking sheet. Break about one eighth shards into smaller pieces and in a food processor pulse until ground coarse. Break remaining praline into 12 shards for garnishing desserts. Praline may be made 2 days ahead, ground praline kept in an airtight container at cool room temperature (if it clumps, regrind in food processor before using), and shards kept between sheets of wax paper in another airtight container at room temperature.