CHOCOLATE PECAN TURTLE CLUSTERS

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CHOCOLATE PECAN TURTLE CLUSTERS


Ingredients:


For the Pecan Layer:
2 cups pecans
For the Caramel Layer:
6 tablespoons butter
½ cup light brown sugar
½ cup regular sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
½ cup condensed milk
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Layer:
2 cups chopped chocolate

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Directions:


First things first – crank that oven to 350°F. Spread your pecans on a baking sheet (I line mine with parchment because I’m lazy when it comes to cleanup). Toast them for 8-10 minutes until they’re fragrant. Your kitchen’s about to smell amazing!


Once the pecans cool a bit, chop them up. Don’t go crazy here – you want pieces, not dust. I just run my knife through them a few times in different directions. Set these babies aside.


Here comes the fun part! Melt your butter in the microwave, but do it in short bursts. Trust me on this – I once didn’t, and let’s just say cleaning butter off microwave walls isn’t how I like to spend my afternoon. (Source: Ineskohl.info)


In a large bowl, mix your melted butter with both sugars, corn syrup, and condensed milk. Oh, and pro tip: that condensed milk is stubborn stuff – make sure you scrape every last bit out of the measuring cup. Pop this mixture in the microwave for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.


When it comes out (careful, it’s HOT!), stir in the vanilla extract. Then fold in those toasted pecans until they’re all coated in that gorgeous caramel. Let this cool a bit before dropping portions onto your lined tray – trust me, patience pays off here. The first time I made these, I rushed it and ended up with one giant turtle!


Pop the tray in the fridge for about 30 minutes. While you’re waiting, melt your chocolate in 30-second bursts in the microwave, stirring between each one. Nobody likes scorched chocolate!


Now for the fun part – dipping! Use a fork to dunk each caramel-pecan cluster into the melted chocolate. Tap off the excess (or don’t – I won’t tell), and place them on wax paper to set.


Back into the fridge they go for another 30 minutes or until set.