I made some Christmas gifts this year. Partially due to my natural inclination towards creativity, partially due to my incredible edible prowess, partially due to our unfortunate timing in deciding to buy a house during the holiday season and therefore having very little funds available to do anything but pay for inspections and appraisals.
Anywho, along with my current favorite beauty item, my chocolate salt scrub, and tins of my homemade instant hot cocoa, I thought I’d put together a little somethin’-somethin’ for people to nibble on: chocolate turtles. Yes, those delicious, wonderful, gooey caramel and nut filled delights named after one of the greatest of all God’s creatures: the Koopa Troopa from Super Mario Brothers.
These are surprisingly easy to make. A little messy, but not too bad. Just a couple words of advice: buy in bulk. Get someone to help you with the caramels…if you have to unpeel 50+ candies, you might as well have some good conversation while you’re doing it. If you want to make your own caramel…well, more power to you. When spooning out the caramel and nuts onto the baking sheet, be careful…it is hot. Hugh Jackman hot.
Peel caramels. Maybe eat one or two.
Melt caramels.
Toast and chop up pecans.
Mix pecans into caramels.
Spoon mixture onto prepped baking sheets and freeze.
Melt chocolate.
Dip and coat clusters in chocolate. Chill until set.
Wrap up and celebrate.
Chocolate Turtles
* 1 lb caramels
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 tablespoons water
* 3 cups pecan halves, toasted and chopped slightly
* 2 lbs semisweet chocolate chips
* 2 tablespoons butter
1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Stir in pecans. Remove from heat; cool for 5 minutes.
2. Drop candy by tablespoonfuls onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper or tin foil and coated in baking spray. Freeze for 30 minutes.
3. Melt chocolates and butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Dip caramel candies into chocolate mixture, allowing excess chocolate to drip off; place back on cookie sheet. Chill until firm.
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I don’t even like chocolate and this looks good….
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