Turtles Candy
Craving a sweet treat? Look no further than Turtles Candy. This indulgent combination of crunchy pecans, rich caramel, and silky chocolate will satisfy your dessert desires. Perfect for sharing or enjoying on your own, these candies are a delightful way to indulge tonight!
Equipment
- Candy thermometer
- deep fry thermometer
Ingredients
- 3 cups pecan halves
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup corn syrup
- dash salt
- 7 ounces sweetened condensed milk half of a 14-ounce can
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups chocolate chips I used milk chocolate chips
- ½ teaspoon vegetable oil or shortening
Instructions
- First, you need to prepare the pecans. Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Preheat your oven to 350°F and bake the pecans for about 10 minutes. You’ll know they are done when they are lightly browned and fragrant. Allow them to cool before moving on to the next step.
- Once the pecans are cool, arrange them into clusters of 3-4 on silicone liners or parchment paper. This is where they will hold their shape once the caramel is added, so make sure they are spaced appropriately.
- In a 6-quart pot, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and a dash of salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture comes to a boil.
- After reaching a boil, carefully add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. It’s important to keep stirring to prevent any burning at the bottom of the pot.
- Continue to cook and stir until the mixture reaches 235-240°F. I find that using the ice water test is the most reliable way to check this. To do the test, drop a spoonful of the hot caramel into a bowl of ice water. When you take it out, it should be able to roll into a ball.
- Once the caramel is ready, quickly spoon it over the pecan clusters, ensuring that each pecan is well coated. Make sure the caramel touches all the pecans for maximum flavor.
- Allow the clusters to sit and harden for a bit. This usually takes about 30 minutes to an hour. You can pop them in the fridge to speed up the process if needed.
- While the caramel is hardening, melt the chocolate chips and vegetable oil together in the microwave at half power. Stir frequently until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Be careful not to overheat.
- Once the caramel has set, it’s time to add the finishing touch! Spoon the melted chocolate over each cluster, covering them generously. You want to make sure every last bit of caramel is encased in chocolate.
- Let the Turtles Candy sit for another 1-2 hours until the chocolate has completely hardened. You can speed up this process by refrigerating them.
Notes
- Tip 1: If the caramels are a bit tough, add a little spoonful of half and half to yield a smoother result.