These Coconut-Macadamia Pralines are a little taste of tropical paradise in candy form! Made with just 5 ingredients, they're a great DIY holiday gift for family and friends. A delicious way to say "Mele Kalikimaka."
Disclosure: This post is written in partnership with Florida Prepaid College Foundation as a member of their Believer Bloggers program. As always, all opinions here are my own.
As the mama of a very loved toddler, I often have to field the million dollar holiday question from family and friends alike: "What should we get Cole for Christmas?"
The truth is, Cole is fortunate enough to need next to nothing. He has plenty of clothes, books and toys and enough cars to open his own miniature dealership. Since his birthday falls just before Thanksgiving, his inventory is newly stocked and there isn't much else I can think of that he could use, especially if we want to avoid having to rent out a storage locker to relieve our already bursting-at-the-seams space.
My husband and I are buying him just a few little things to open on Christmas morning, but we've already decided to put the majority of what we would like to spend toward a gift that Cole may not fully appreciate for several more years: The gift of a pre-paid education!
I can tell you from experience that student loans are an unwanted -- albeit necessary -- nuisance for a large percentage of college graduates nationwide. Yes, the debt may be "manageable" {under $35K for most}, but it puts a damper on many of the financial firsts that are now being delayed due to debt. Buying a home, building a "nest egg", and even starting a family are some of the things that now take a back seat to loan repayment for thousands of young adults.
Earlier this season I shared some information about open enrollment for the Florida Prepaid College Program and how we are using the program as a tool to save for Cole's education. As his parents, we're making the majority of the contributions, but did you know that anyone can add a little change to the bucket?? That means that putting, "Add to college fund." on a Christmas wishlist is fair game!
Florida Prepaid even has these handy gift certificates for gift-givers to use if they decide to make a contribution to a loved one's plan. If you ask me, that's a WAY better gift than another toy you have to find room for!
So, if you have a grandma, aunt or uncle who wants to know what to get your kiddo this Christmas... this is a great chance to start saving pennies for college! There's also a huge list of non-toy gift ideas over at Dating Divas that are sure to be a hit -- I loved some of their suggestions!
Are you adding any cool non-toy gifts to the list this year? Do tell!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Last night we watch a little bit of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. It's tradition.
It's hard not to feel for the lovable Clark Griswold, always trying so hard to make memories and do the best for his family, only to fall short in epic ways. {I'm not gonna lie, I have my Clark moments. Maybe that's why I sympathize.}
Clark doesn't seem to me like the type of guy who would save for his kids' college funds. {Though I could see him thinking to start one and gambling to try to grow it quickly... and we all know how that would end up.} In fact, if you recall the movie, he plans to use his much-anticipated Christmas bonus to put in a pool for the family.
As he gazes out the snow-frosted window into his back yard, he can practically feel the sunshine and hear the splashing in the pool. {Not to mention see the mirage of a bathing beauty... but let's forget that little detail.} The guy is a dreamer and you can't fault him for having goals.
I can imagine that Clark's excitement over building his own little tropical oasis would give him a craving for these sweet Coconut-Macadamia Pralines; Christmas candies with an exotic twist!
These candies only require 5 ingredients {though they do take some practice and candy thermometer-wielding skills} and make a unique holiday treat for those who are dreaming of a beachy Christmas!
Just wrap them up in pretty packaging with a little tag that says, "Mele Kalikimaka" and the recipients will be whisked off to paradise after one nibble!
Coconut-Macadamia Pralines
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup canned coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons butter cubed into small pieces
- ½ teaspoon coconut extract
- ½ cup chopped salted macadamia nuts
- Special Equipment: Candy thermometer
Instructions
- Prepare baking pans by lining with parchment paper or using a silicone baking mat.
- Mix together sugar and coconut milk in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring continuously. Allow the mixture to bubble until a candy thermometer reads 235 degrees.
- Remove from heat and add butter and coconut extract. Stir until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth. Add macadamia nuts and stir until the mixture has thickened a bit, about 2 minutes. (You want it to be pourable but not super runny.)
- Use a small cookie scoop (about 2 teaspoon size) to quickly scoop the mixture and drop on prepared pans. The macadamia nuts should form a little mound, but the liquid will pool around it. Continue until you've used up all of the mixture.
- Allow the pralines to set completely. They'll harden within 10 minutes but will still be fragile. It's best to let them set for about 2 hours before removing them from the pans.
- Once completely set, remove them carefully from pans and package as desired.
Notes
- These can be made up to 2 days in advance.
- This recipe can easily be doubled!
- Store pralines with sheets of waxed paper or parchment between them in an airtight container.
- If your pralines fail to harden or remain sticky, you may not have heated the mixture to the proper temperature. Scrape them back into the saucepan and melt them down again, bring them to a boil for about 1 - 1 ½ minutes, then re-scoop them onto the baking sheets. (This happened to me the first time but they were easily salvaged!)