Description
Delightfully rich and crunchy, these Chocolate Pecan Turtle Clusters combine toasted pecans with a luscious caramel coating and a smooth milk chocolate topping. Perfect as a sweet snack or elegant treat, they are easy to make and sure to satisfy any chocolate lover’s cravings.
Ingredients
Scale
Pecans
- 2 cups pecan halves, toasted
Caramel
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- 7 oz sweetened condensed milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate Topping
- 12 oz milk chocolate chips
- ½ tsp shortening
Instructions
- Toast Pecans: Toast pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring often, until they become fragrant. Remove from heat and let them cool on a plate.
- Prepare Clusters: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly spray them. Arrange the toasted pecans into small clusters of 3–4 pieces each on the sheets.
- Make Caramel: In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add brown sugar, light corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk; stir constantly as the mixture cooks.
- Cook to Temperature: Attach a candy thermometer and cook the caramel mixture until it reaches 235–240°F (soft-ball stage). Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Coat Clusters: Quickly spoon about 1½ teaspoons of the hot caramel over each pecan cluster. Work rapidly as the caramel will harden; rewarm the caramel if needed to keep it fluid.
- Melt Chocolate: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine milk chocolate chips and shortening. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until the chocolate is smooth and fully melted.
- Add Chocolate Topping: Spoon about 1½ teaspoons of melted chocolate over each caramel-coated cluster. Allow the clusters to cool at room temperature or chill briefly to set the chocolate.
- Store: Once set, store the clusters in an airtight container for up to one week, or freeze for longer-term storage.
Notes
- Use a candy thermometer for best results to ensure proper caramel consistency.
- Shortening helps to smooth the melted chocolate and prevent it from seizing.
- Be careful when handling hot caramel to avoid burns.
- Clusters can be customized by using dark chocolate chips instead of milk chocolate if preferred.
- Freezing the clusters extends shelf life but may slightly change texture upon thawing.
