Homemade Turtle Candy

Give a small box of these as a host or holiday gift and you will be very popular.

Ingredients

• 96 pecan halves
• 10 ounces dark chocolate, I used a bag of Nestle Dark Chocolate Morsels
• 11 ounce bag of Kraft Caramels, unwrapped (the soft kind)
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp evaporated milk

Instructions

• Line 2 baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
• Preheat oven to 350F
• Put the pecans on an unlined baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.
• Heat 1/2 the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove and stir. Microwave a further 15-30 seconds and stir again until melted and smooth.
• Drop small amounts of chocolate onto the prepared baking sheets and spread with your spoon to the size of quarters. Top with 4 pecan halves to form the turtle legs. (See photos)
• You can proceed to the next step immediately or put the tray in the freezer to firm up for 5 minutes.
• Melt the caramels, butter, and milk in the microwave. Start at one minute, stir, and if necessary heat in 15 seconds increments until smooth. I like to let the caramel cool a little to thicken up before proceeding.
• Add a small (about 1/2 tsp) dollop of caramel to the top of each turtle.
• Again, put the tray in the freezer for 5 minutes.
• Melt the remaining chocolate and add a small amount to the top of each turtle, spreading it around to cover the caramel. I like to give the chocolate a little swirl flourish as I lift up my spoon. Put the tray in the freezer for 5 minutes.
• The turtles can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. These will freeze well for longer storage (put them in a heavy duty zip lock freezer bag.)

Variations on these turtle candies ~

• Use any chocolate you like, including milk or white.

• Garnish with crushed pecans or sea salt while the final chocolate topping is still wet.

• Use your favorite spiced pecans for a unique touch.

FROM;

the view from great island

Brown Sugar Peanut Brittle

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup firmly-packed light brown sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup water

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter or margarine

2 to 3 cups shelled raw peanuts

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Preparation: Butter a baking pan or cookie sheet (with sides) ; set aside.

In a large heavy sauce pan (at least 3-quart size), combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, water and salt.

Cook over medium high heat until all the sugar is dissolved.

Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes just to a full boil.

Stir in the butter.

Continue to cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reaches 230 degrees F. Once it has reached this temperature a thread should form when the spoon is dipped into the mixture and lifted up.

Cook and stir until you reach 280 degrees F, or the soft crack stage.

(If you don’t have a candy thermometer, place a small drop of the mixture into a bowl with room temperature water, the mixture should be make a firm ball that is slightly crunchy).

When you have reached 290 degrees F, add the peanuts (all at once) and stir in.

Continue to stir constantly until you reach 300 degrees F, or the hard crack stage (a small amount of the mixture will make a hard ball when dropped into the water).

I was taught to keep on stirring until you hear the peanuts begin to “pop”, and then remove the pot from the heat.

Stir in the baking soda, and mix well. It is going to “foam” up, which is what gives you light, airy brittle. Stir it well, but don’t stir it all the way flat, unless you really want flat hard crunchy brittle.

Pour the candy onto a buttered cookie sheet. Tilt, shake and “shimmy” the candy until is has spread out as far as possible on the pan.

Allow to cool until it is room temperature, then lift the pan up and drop it onto the table (at least that is how I do it, you can crack it into pieces with the back of a heavy knife, or even with your hands if you wish.)

You now have about 2 pounds of wonderful, crunchy peanut brittle! So enjoy!