What is not to love about a creamy, melt -in-your-mouth caramel covered in a decadent cloak of chocolate with a slight crunch of a pecan? Oh, wait, add a little Fleur de Sel for a little salty finish! Well, now, your not even playing fair! All the other children are going to be envious, and why shouldn’t they be!? These turtles are beyond anything your taste buds have encountered.
Chocolate turtles are extremely rich, so going smaller is definitely not going to minimize the sinfully salt & sweet bonbon. I really like a more bite size sweet. You can eat as much as you want or as little, its a win-win.
A few years ago, that’s how I tell time, please no judgment, when you get my age you have to remember time through the highlights of your life. It’s actually a beautiful way to skip through my memoirs. I digress, not uncommon here at all, but I remember a friend teaching me how to make these turtles because she needed to teach a chocolate making class but found herself to intimidated to stand in front of a group a peers. Well, ergo I was the guinea pig. I learned to make them and taught the class for my dear friend and Voila! I was hooked on these little bundles of chocolate, caramel bliss!
Turtles have become a family favorite. We make these every Holiday as a family to put in our tins of confections. These turtles are a little time consuming because you make your own caramel but I promise it is worth it. Making your own caramel makes all the difference. The softness of this caramel is totally in your control and the buttery sweetness is incomparable to any other caramel. Simply heaven! Choosing a very good chocolate is also a crucial, as it puts the level of perfection in this confection, in a league all its own.
These turtles are leaps and bounds above any you have ever tasted or made. I was sold after making them just one time! I won’t even but them in candy shops anymore. I’ve been spoiled. But I promise you, that you will not regret taking the time or buying the best ingredients for these incredibly rich candies, neither will your family and friends.
Make your plan and get mise en place! Happy Candy Making!!
Ingredients & Preparation
The Usual Suspects:
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 2/3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups light Karo syrup
- 2 sticks of butter
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 pound pecan halves
- 2 pounds good quality milk or dark chocolate (like Callebaut) melted for dipping, start with one pound and melt more as needed. Any leftovers are great for adding peanuts and making nut clusters.
The Plan:
Butter about 4 to 5 cookie sheets.
Place three pecans together on the buttered cookie sheets. In the shape of a little turtle.
Set aside.
To make the Caramel:
In a large heavy bottom saucepan, add the sugar, cream, Karo syrup and butter.
Stir.
Over medium heat bring to a boil.
Lower heat and let cook to just under soft ball stage for the melt in your mouth caramel or take it the soft ball stage for a firmer caramel. Stirring off and on to make sure it isn’t burning on the bottom. You will be able to see the change in color from a light cream to an almond color.
Let cool.
Add vanilla.
Stir.
Using a tablespoon, spoon caramel over the nuts. Working quickly before it cools and hardens. It will spread slightly. This is good.
When cooled, pick up the turtle and shape the caramel around the nuts. This helps it dip easier but is totally optional.
Melt the Chocolate: Here we have three options-
Double Boiler Method. One of the more traditional methods of melting chocolate is to use a double boiler. A saucepan and a tightly fitting bowl that sits over the top of the saucepan. Allowing the heat from the water to melt the chocolate.
Begin by filling a saucepan with hot water. You want enough water to provide heat, but not so much that the bottom of the bowl containing the chocolate touches the water. Heat the saucepan over low heat until it just begins to simmer, then turn off the stove and place the chocolate bowl over the water. If you are melting large amounts of chocolate, begin with 1/3 of your final quantity and melt in batches, mindful to keep your chocolate chunks about the same size, waiting until the chocolate in the bowl is melted before adding more un-melted chunks. Let the chocolate begin to melt, and then stir it gently with a plastic spatula. When almost all the chocolate is melted, lift the top bowl from the saucepan and set it on the counter. Stir continuously until it is shiny, smooth, and completely melted. By pulling the chocolate off the hot water before all of it has melted and stirring in the last of the un-melted chocolate, you are tempering the chocolate so that it will remain shiny and smooth.
Microwave Method It is very difficult to determine exact microwaving times, as it can vary depending on microwave wattage, quantity of chocolate, and even the cocoa butter content of the chocolate. However, you can estimate about 1 minute for 1 ounce of chocolate, 3 minutes for 8 ounces of chocolate, 3.5 minutes for 1 pound of chocolate, and 4 minutes for 2 pounds. These are just estimates, but gives you a good place to start. Run the microwave in 20 second intervals (be careful if you go longer as you can scorch your chocolate), stirring in between and rotating the bowl if necessary. Finish heating when most, but not all, of the chocolate is melted. Stir the chocolate continuously until it is smooth, shiny, and completely melted. The chocolate should register 87 to 89 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
Oven Method: In an oven safe bowl, place about 3/4 of your chocolate. Turn your oven to 200 degrees F and let it warm up. Then turn oven off and place chocolate in oven and let it start to melt. Stirring every 30 seconds or so. When almost all of the chocolate is melted, remove from oven and add the remaining chocolate. Stir until shiny and smooth.
Dip in chocolate and place back on cookie sheets.
Let cool.
Makes about 75 medium sized turtles.
Sprinkle with Fleur de Sel for a salted caramel taste. It’s seriously a game changer!
Turtles
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Loading...Ingredients
- • 2 cups sugar
- • 1 2/3 cups heavy whipping cream
- • 2 cups light Karo syrup
- • 2 sticks of butter
- • 2 tsp. vanilla
- • 1 pound pecan halves
- • 2 pounds good quality milk or dark chocolate (like Callebaut) melted for dipping, start with one pound and melt more as needed. Any leftovers are great for adding peanuts and making nut clusters.
Instructions
Butter about 4 to 5 cookie sheets.
Place three pecans together on the buttered cookie sheets. In the shape of a little turtle.
Set aside.
To make the Caramel:
In a large heavy bottom saucepan, add the sugar, cream, Karo syrup and butter.
Stir.
Over medium heat bring to a boil.
Lower heat and let cook to just under soft ball stage for the melt in your mouth caramel or take it the soft ball stage for a firmer caramel. Stirring off and on to make sure it isn’t burning on the bottom. You will be able to see the change in color from a light cream to an almond color.
Let cool.
Add vanilla.
Stir.
Using a tablespoon, spoon caramel over the nuts. Working quickly before it cools and hardens. It will spread slightly. This is good.
When cooled, pick up the turtle and shape the caramel around the nuts. This helps it dip easier but is totally optional.
Melt the Chocolate: Here we have three options-
Double Boiler Method. One of the more traditional methods of melting chocolate is to use a double boiler. A saucepan and a tightly fitting bowl that sits over the top of the saucepan. Allowing the heat from the water to melt the chocolate.
Begin by filling a saucepan with hot water. You want enough water to provide heat, but not so much that the bottom of the bowl containing the chocolate touches the water. Heat the saucepan over low heat until it just begins to simmer, then turn off the stove and place the chocolate bowl over the water. If you are melting large amounts of chocolate, begin with 1/3 of your final quantity and melt in batches, mindful to keep your chocolate chunks about the same size, waiting until the chocolate in the bowl is melted before adding more un-melted chunks. Let the chocolate begin to melt, and then stir it gently with a plastic spatula. When almost all the chocolate is melted, lift the top bowl from the saucepan and set it on the counter. Stir continuously until it is shiny, smooth, and completely melted. By pulling the chocolate off the hot water before all of it has melted and stirring in the last of the un-melted chocolate, you are tempering the chocolate so that it will remain shiny and smooth.
Microwave Method It is very difficult to determine exact microwaving times, as it can vary depending on microwave wattage, quantity of chocolate, and even the cocoa butter content of the chocolate. However, you can estimate about 1 minute for 1 ounce of chocolate, 3 minutes for 8 ounces of chocolate, 3.5 minutes for 1 pound of chocolate, and 4 minutes for 2 pounds. These are just estimates, but gives you a good place to start. Run the microwave in 20 second intervals (be careful if you go longer as you can scorch your chocolate), stirring in between and rotating the bowl if necessary. Finish heating when most, but not all, of the chocolate is melted. Stir the chocolate continuously until it is smooth, shiny, and completely melted. The chocolate should register 87 to 89 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
Oven Method: In an oven safe bowl, place about 3/4 of your chocolate. Turn your oven to 200 degrees F and let it warm up. Then turn oven off and place chocolate in oven and let it start to melt. Stirring every 30 seconds or so. When almost all of the chocolate is melted, remove from oven and add the remaining chocolate. Stir until shiny and smooth.
Dip in chocolate and place back on cookie sheets.
Let cool.
Makes about 75 medium sized turtles.
Sprinkle with Fleur de Sel for a salted caramel taste. It’s seriously a game changer!
