'Praline' is one of the most mixed-up words in chocolate, because it genuinely means two different things depending on which side of the Channel you're standing on - and both uses are correct.
Two traditions, one word
The older meaning is French: a firm confection of nuts, usually almonds, set in caramelised sugar. The name is traditionally traced back to the 17th-century cook of Marshal du Plessis-Praslin, with one of the earliest English-language references appearing in print in 1727, describing almonds stirred into boiling sugar and water. The newer, now far more common meaning is Belgian: a moulded chocolate shell with a filled centre, generally credited to Jean Neuhaus II in Brussels in 1912, who is said to have started filling his chocolates rather than selling them solid.
Where 'pralineé' fits in
To add to the confusion, the Belgian filling itself is often called 'praliné' - a paste of caramelised hazelnuts or almonds ground with sugar, sometimes combined with chocolate. A Belgian-style praline chocolate may or may not actually contain praliné paste as its filling; the word 'praline' describes the filled-chocolate format generally, not one specific recipe.
What we actually stock right now
We carry Raffaello Coconut and Almond Pralines Gift Box 230g, a genuine nut-based filled praline in the Belgian sense, currently in stock. If you'd like to compare against a different filled-chocolate format, our Guylian Original Seashells 22 Chocolates 250g is also in stock and built on a similar praliné-style filling.
Frequently asked questions
Is a praline a nut sweet or a filled chocolate?
Both - the French original is a firm nut-and-caramelised-sugar sweet, while the Belgian praline most people mean today is a filled chocolate shell.
Who invented the Belgian-style praline?
Generally credited to Jean Neuhaus II in Brussels in 1912.
What is 'praliné' exactly?
A paste of caramelised hazelnuts or almonds ground with sugar, sometimes blended with chocolate - a possible filling, not a guaranteed one.
Does Supreme Sweets stock pralines?
Yes - Raffaello Coconut and Almond Pralines Gift Box 230g, currently in stock.