Speedy Turtles Recipes

PECAN TURTLES

Steps:

• Line baking sheets with waxed paper; lightly coat with cooking spray and set aside. Butter the sides of a heavy saucepan with 1 teaspoon butter. Cube remaining butter; place in pan. Add the corn syrup, brown sugar and salt. Cook and stir until sugar is melted., Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 248° (firm-ball stage), about 16 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Gently stir in pecans. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 12 minutes. , In a microwave, melt chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Drizzle over clusters. Chill until firm. Store in the refrigerator.

HOMEMADE TURTLES

Steps:

• Line two baking sheets or large platters with parchment paper. It's helpful if they will fit in either fridge or freezer.
• Make small piles of pecans, using 5 to 6 pieces per pile. Overlap the pecans some to reduce gaps so the caramel doesn't seep through.
• In a medium microwave-safe bowl, add the caramels, half of the cream (reserve the remainder), and heat on high power to melt. It will probably take about 3 to 4 minutes total, but you must stop and stir the mixture every 30 seconds so you don't burn it. Alternatively, you can melt caramels on the stove over low heat, using caution and stirring frequently. **(see notes below on melting the caramels)
• Add about 1 tablespoon caramel to the top of each pecan pile; set aside.
• In a medium microwave-safe bowl, add 8 ounces chocolate and heat to melt, about 1 minute on high power. Heat in 15-second increments until chocolate can be stirred smooth. I prefer working in smaller batches with chocolate and recommend doing the same and not heating all 16 ounces at once; melt additional chocolate as necessary.
• Add about 2 tablespoons chocolate to the top of each pecan cluster by dolloping it on top and letting it fall down the sides.
• Optionally add a pinch of sea salt to each Turtle.
• Allow Turtles to firm up at room temp (will take many hours) or in the fridge or freezer (about 15 minutes) before serving.

TURTLE CANDIES

Steps:

• On waxed paper-lined baking sheets, arrange pecans in small clusters of four to five pecans each. , For caramel, in a small saucepan, combine the milk, corn syrup and sugars. Cook and stir over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 238° (soft-ball stage). Remove from the heat. Stir in butter and vanilla. Working quickly, spoon caramel onto pecan clusters. Let stand until set. , In a microwave, melt candy coating; stir until smooth. Spoon over caramel. Chill for 10 minutes or until set. Store in an airtight container.

EASY TURTLES

Steps:

• Microwave caramels and milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2-1/2 to 3 min. or until caramels are completely melted, stirring after each minute. Cool.
• Meanwhile, place nuts in mounded groupings of about 3 nuts each into 36 clusters, about 3 inches apart, on parchment-covered baking sheet.
• Spoon about 2 tsp. caramel sauce over center of each nut cluster. (Caramel sauce should "glue" the clusters together.)
• Freeze 15 min. or until caramel sauce is firm.
• Melt chocolate as directed on package. Dip nut clusters, 1 at a time, into chocolate, turning to completely coat nuts. Return to baking sheet. Refrigerate 15 min. or until chocolate is firm.

TURTLE CANDY WITH PECANS AND CARAMEL

Steps:

• Enjoy!

QUICK AND EASY TURTLES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cover a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil, shiny side up. Spray with cooking spray to cover.
• 2. Place 3 pecan halves in a Y shape on the foil until you have 24 Y shapes. Place 1 unwrapped caramel in the center of each Y.
• 3. Bake in preheated oven just until caramel is melted, about 9-10 minutes. While caramels are melting in oven, heat shortening and chocolate chips in microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring to melt until just melted.
• 4. Remove caramels and pecans from oven when caramel is just melted. Spoon chocolate over candies and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or until chocolate is set.