seaside candy roll- pecan log

I saw this recipe on Blind Pig and the Acorn yesterday and decided I absolutely had to make one. When I saw the recipe, I immediately thought of Stuckey's and their pecan rolls. My mother absolutely loved them so whenever we were on a road trip, we would stop and get a pecan roll or three. Since I was already shelling a big old pile of pecans yesterday, the posting of the recipe was perfect timing and I just shelled a few more so I could make some today.

I followed the recipe from the Blind Pig with the exception of the maple flavoring and the corn syrup. I do not like maple anything except for pure syrup so instead used vanilla. I do not buy corn syrup either, so instead used a recipe for a corn syrup substitute.

corn syrup substitute

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup water

1/4 tsp. cream of tarter

dash of salt

Combine all ingredients in a pan. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and put a cover on for 3 minutes to get sugar crystals off the sides of the pan. Uncover and cook until it reaches soft ball stage. Stir often. Cool syrup and store in a covered container at room temperature. It will keep 2 months.

Seaside candy roll

1 cup pecans

1/3 cup margarine

1/3 cup light corn syrup

1 teaspoon maple flavoring

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pound powdered sugar (4 1/2 cups)

Chop 1/2 cup of the pecans finely and 1/2 cup coarsely. Mix together margarine, corn syrup, maple flavoring and salt. Start adding powdered sugar a cup or so at a time. Mix well, when too stiff, turn out and knead the rest of the ingredients into the dough, reserving the coarsely chopped pecans for outside coating. Once the mixture is smooth-divide it in half; roll/shape each half into a roll 2 inches thick. Brush rolls with additional corn syrup. Roll in coarsely chopped nuts; wrap in wax paper or foil and chill; slice into 1/4 inch pieces before serving.

These are very very sweet and quite tasty although not quite the same as what I remember. After doing a bit of a search I believe that the Stuckey's logs are made from a different type of nougat. It is a bit more detailed and lengthy process than these are but for those interested here is the recipe.