Incredibly Easy Homemade Turtles

I really wanted to make turtles for a party recently but every recipe I found was either far too complicated, took far too long, or just didn't make sense to me.  One told me to make make the caramel, place spoonfuls on a cookie sheet and then place nuts in the shape of a snowflake and all I could think was, "won't the caramel harden by the time I get the nuts in place?"  There had to be an easier way!  So i started testing and here is my recipe for the easiest (seriously, no one can mess this up) and tastiest homemade turtles.

Chocolate Caramel Turtles


Ingredients

• 1 pkg halved pecans
• 1 11oz pkg caramel bits
• 12.5 oz bag milk chocolate
• 1t vanilla
• 14oz can condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease muffin tins.

Put 3 - 5 pecans in each muffin cup depending on size.  Sprinkle caramel bits over pecans. Put at least 3 in each cup but if you like caramel put many more (I used 5 or more).  Bake until caramel is melted, about 10 minutes.  This will also toast the pecans a bit. Once the caramel is melted put the muffin tin on a cooking rack.  This is the hard part -- walk away.  Do not move the candy until the tin has completely cooled.  

Once cooled remove the candy from the muffin cups using a butter knife and set on wax paper.

Bring some water to a boil in a heavy sauce pan.  Place a heat-safe bowl over the water.  Put chocolate, milk and vanilla in bowl and stir constantly. Once the chocolate is completely melted and smooth turn off heat.  Leaving the bowl over the hot water spoon chocolate on top of candy pieces.  You leave the bowl of chocolate over the hot water to keep it from thickening and hardening but you turn the heat off so it won't burn.  

That's it, unless you want to add a bit more flavor.  I added sea salt on top of the turtles to get that really salty, really sweet treat. 

Let chocolate completely cool at least 2 hours, then store in fridge.  The only hard thing about this recipe is having the patience to let the candy cool. 

You can get creative with this recipe.  Make turtles spicy by adding cayen or use a flavored salt, like the Spicy Seasoned Sea Salt from Penzys. Yum, yum, yum!

Want another super easy, tasty treat?  Try Martha Stewart's Winter Bark.  I make it every year and it's always a big hit.