Sea Turtles

This recipe was published in the 2011 edition of Christmas With Southern Living. 

4 cups chopped pecans
2 (11 oz.) packages of caramels
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 (4 oz.) chocolate baking bars, chopped
1/4 cup shortening, divided in half
2 (4 oz.) white chocolate baking bars, chopped

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Bake pecans in a single layer in a large jelly-roll pan 5-6 minutes or until toasted and fragrant.  Cool completely.
• Melt caramel and cream in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until smooth.
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
• Drop 1 Tablespoon of caramel mixture at a time over pecans and chill 10 minutes or till caramel is firm.

• Carefully lift candies and transfer to a serving platter.

• Redistribute pecans on pan and repeat proceture if needed spooning caramel mix over pecans.
• Microwave white chocolate and half of shortening on high 30 seconds until melted and stir till smooth.
• Spoon  1 Tablespoon chocolate mix onto each candy.

• Repeat melting and spooning procedure with chocolate.
• Let candies harden at room temperature or in refrigerator.

Makes about two and a half dozen candies.