This advice applies to a lot of candy making – divinity and meringues in particular – but don’t ever try to make pralines on a day with high humidity or storms. None of us are chemistry experts, but we know enough about what we don’t know to consult Chapter 12, “Sugars, Chocolate, and Confectionery,” of the excellent and frankly invaluable On Food and Cooking, by Harold McGee (Scribner).

If you don’t have the book, here’s our takeaway: sugar syrup or heated sugar is “hygroscopic,” which means it pulls moisture out of the air. On a humid day, the moisture in the candy cannot evaporate easily – or worse, starts absorbing water from the humid air around it – and quickly becomes a sticky mess. Are there ways to adjust a recipe to compensate? Sure. But, honestly, if you did not major in chemistry, it’s easier to wait for a drier, cooler day.

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 3 cups pecans, coarsely chopped or left in halves
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Combine cream and sugar in saucepan; heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, to soft ball stage. Add pecans and lemon juice; continue to cook until mixture again reaches soft ball stage.

Immediately drop large spoonfuls of mix onto greased parchment paper. When the pralines have hardened, store in airtight container and separate any layers with parchment paper.

Brown Sugar Pralines

Also sensational, a little bit creamier, and just as easy.

2 ½ cups light brown sugar, firmly packed

⅔ cup evaporated milk

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon vanilla

Dash salt

2 cups pecan halves

Combine sugar, evaporated milk, and butter in saucepan; cook over high heat, stirring constantly, until boiling. When mixture reaches a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook to soft ball stage. Remove from heat; add vanilla, salt, and pecans, and beat with heavy spoon until mixture starts to thicken (about 3 minutes).

Immediately drop by spoonfuls onto greased parchment paper. When the pralines have hardened, store in airtight container and separate any layers with parchment paper.