Holiday Pecan Logs

October in Baton Rouge and the world has agreed to be beautiful again. The campus live oaks are still green — they are always green, this is Louisiana — but the air has changed, the light has changed, and the walking-between-classes has become the pleasure it should always be instead of the sweat-drenched exercise it was in September.

The cooking in the apartment has settled into a pattern that I am proud of. Monday: jambalaya (the tradition, the inheritance). Wednesday: baked chicken or something quick (the Mama influence, efficiency as love). Friday: something ambitious — this week it was seafood gumbo, the full version, because Rouses had shrimp on sale and I bought two pounds and spent three hours making something that MawMaw Shirley would evaluate and that I evaluated first: the roux was dark, the shrimp were pink, the okra was tender, and the eating of it at my kitchen table at 10 p.m. on a Friday was the best part of the week. Every week should end with gumbo. Every week deserves a Friday roux.

Priya has been coming over for Friday cooking nights. She brings wine (still box wine; we are still broke) and sits on my counter and talks while I cook, and the talking is the actual meal — the gumbo is the excuse. She told me this week that she is struggling in genetics. Not failing, not close to failing, but the struggling is new to her — she was first in her class in high school, and first does not struggle, and the not-struggling was part of her identity, and the loss of it feels like a loss of self. I told her about the flood. About the FEMA trailer. About Daddy rebuilding the house with his own hands. I said, "The house had to break before it could be built right." She looked at me for a long time and then said, "That is either the wisest thing you have ever said or you are just good at metaphors." Both, I said. Both.

MawMaw Shirley's birthday is Saturday. The family is coming. The gumbo is planned. The pot is ready. I am ready.

The gumbo was already claimed — that was MawMaw Shirley’s birthday gift, the roux and the shrimp and the three hours on a Friday night. But a birthday needs something sweet at the end of it, something you can unwrap and pass around a table full of cousins and aunts and the people who drove in from Metairie just to eat together. I made these Holiday Pecan Logs the morning before everyone arrived, and when I set them out after the gumbo bowls were cleared, MawMaw picked one up, took a bite, and didn’t say a word — just nodded, the way she nods when something is right. That nod is the whole point.

Prep Time: 25 minutes | Cook Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes (plus 1 hour chilling) | Servings: 24 pieces

Ingredients

1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow cream
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 bag (11 oz) soft caramel candies, unwrapped
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 1/2 cups pecan halves or roughly chopped pecans, toasted

Instructions

Make the nougat center. In a large bowl, combine marshmallow cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Gradually mix in the sifted powdered sugar, a cup at a time, kneading with your hands once the mixture becomes too stiff to stir. The dough should be smooth and firm but not sticky — add a little more powdered sugar if needed.
Shape the logs. Lightly dust a clean surface with powdered sugar. Divide the nougat into 4 equal portions and roll each into a log roughly 6 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. Place the logs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until firm.
Toast the pecans. While the logs chill, spread the pecans in a single layer on a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirring frequently, for 3—4 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a plate and let cool, then roughly chop if using halves. Spread the pecans out on a flat plate or sheet of parchment.
Melt the caramel. Combine the unwrapped caramels and heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until fully melted and smooth, about 4—5 minutes. Remove from heat and let the caramel cool for 2—3 minutes until slightly thickened but still pourable.
Coat the logs. Working quickly one at a time, use a fork or tongs to roll each chilled nougat log through the warm caramel, turning to coat all sides evenly. Let any excess caramel drip off, then immediately roll the coated log through the toasted pecans, pressing gently so the pecans adhere all around.
Set and slice. Return the coated logs to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until the caramel is fully set. To serve, slice each log crosswise into 1-inch rounds with a sharp knife. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition (per serving)

Holiday Pecan Logs — Something Sweet for MawMaw Shirley’s Table