Pecan-Caramel Spiders
Serves: 4
Mckayla Mann
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
48
Spice
58
Sweetness
48
Sourness
43
mins
Prep time (avg)
4.6
Difficulty
Ingredients:
1.5 cups
Pecan (toasted)1 cup
Heavy Cream1 cup
Granulated Sugar1 cup
Light Corn Syrup1 tsp
Vanilla Extract2 tbsps
Unsalted Butter (in pieces)1 tsp
Salt110 g
Milk Chocolate (chopped)Directions:
1
Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper and lightly spray with nonstick spray
2
Mound 30 small clusters of pecans, about 3 or 4 pecans each, spaced a couple inches apart on the pan
3
Make caramel: Warm the cream over low heat and keep warm while you cook the sugar
4
Put the sugar and corn syrup and in a deep, heavy-bottomed large saucepan
5
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves
6
Stop stirring, raise heat to medium-high, and simmer until the sugar reaches the hard crack stage, or 305 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 7 minutes
7
Whisk the butter and salt into the sugar mixture
8
Gradually pour in the cream and vanilla taking care since the mixture will bubble up
9
Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar reaches soft ball stage, 240 degrees F on the thermometer, about 5 minutes more
10
Immediately remove from the heat and cool for a minute
11
Ladle a couple tablespoons of warm caramel over some of the nut clusters, to make the spider bodies
12
Then press 6 pieces of licorice into the warm caramel to make the legs
13
Repeat with the remaining caramel and licorice
14
(It's helpful to have an extra hand here, since the caramel can set quickly
15
If caramel hardens, warm over very low heat
16
) Let spiders cool 15 minutes
17
Meanwhile, put the chocolates in a medium heatproof bowl
18
Bring a saucepan filled with 1-inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water
19
Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth
20
(Alternatively, put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl
21
Melt at 50 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 1 minute
22
Stir, and continue heat until completely melted, 2 to 3 minutes more
23
) Spoon about 1 tablespoon of melted chocolate on top of each spider
24
Sprinkle with jimmies or chocolate curls, if desired
25
Let cool until firm