Hot Chocolate Turtle Soup Food

CHOCOLATE TURTLES® (THE CANDY)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Arrange pecans on a baking sheet.
• Bake pecans in the preheated oven until fragrant and lightly browned, 7 minutes.
• Melt chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching.
• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; grease with butter.
• Combine caramels, water, and butter in a saucepan over low heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until caramels are melted and smooth. Fold in pecans.
• Drop caramel mixture by the spoonful onto the prepared baking sheet. Allow to cool and harden.
• Drizzle chocolate over caramel nut clusters. Refrigerate to set, about 1 hour.

TURTLE SOUP

Steps:

• Put the chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl. Put the half-and-half and coffee beans in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Pour over the chopped chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the corn syrup and vanilla and whisk together. Pour through a strainer into a serving pitcher. If you're not serving immediately, chill until serving. (The recipe can be made up to this point and kept refrigerated up to 2 days in advance.) When ready to serve, heat the caramel sauce in the microwave. Heat the pitcher of chocolate soup in the microwave. Put a scoop of butter pecan ice cream in each of 8 serving bowls and drizzle with caramel sauce. At the table, pour the hot chocolate soup around the ice cream.
• Caramel Sauce: Pour the sugar into the center of a deep saucepan. Carefully pour the water around the walls of the pan, trying not to splash any sugar onto the walls. Do not stir; gently draw your finger twice through the center of the sugar, making a cross, to moisten it. Over high heat, bring to a full boil and cook without stirring, swirling the pan occasionally to even out the color, until medium caramel in color, 5 to 10 minutes. Immediately turn off the heat and use a wooden spoon to slowly and carefully stir in the cream (it will bubble up and may splatter). Set aside. If the sauce has cooled, rewarm it over low heat (or in a microwave) until softened.

WHITE CHOCOLATE TURTLES

Steps:

• In a sauce pan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, cream, butter and pecans together. Stir over high heat until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the chocolate and boil the ingredients slowly to the firm ball stage, 248 degrees F. Stir in the vanilla. Using a wooden spoon, drop about a tablespoon for each candy onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let the caramels cool and set, about 5 minutes. Using a candy dipping fork, dip each caramel into the tempered chocolate. Place the chocolates back on the parchment on allow to set, about 5 minutes.

CHOCOLATE TURTLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• In a small cup, dissolve the espresso powder in the vanilla extract.
• In the top of a double boiler over hot, but not simmering water, melt the coarsely chopped chocolates with the butter, stirring frequently until smooth.
• Transfer the chocolate mixture to a large bowl. Using a wire whisk, stir in 1/2 cup of the sugar. Gradually stir in the eggs. Mix in the remaining 1 cup of sugar and the espresso/vanilla mixture. Stir in the flour mixture. Stir in the chopped nuts and chocolate chips.
• Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies. Insert 5 pecan halves around the bottom of each cookie to represent the "turtle's" 4 legs and head.
• Bake the cookies, 1 baking sheet at a time, for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookie's tops start to crack. Do not overbake; the cookies should be soft and fudgy.
• Cool the cookies on the sheets, set on a wire rack.
• Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. These cookies freeze well.

CHOCOLATE TURTLE FONDUE FOR TWO

Steps:

• Melt milk chocolate and caramel in a double boiler until melted. Pour into a fondue pot or a serving bowl. Sprinkle the chopped pecans on top.
• For dipping into the chocolate use cut fresh fruit (strawberries, bananas, and pineapple), marshmallows, and cubed brownies, cheesecake, and pound cake.

CHOCOLATE TURTLE PIE

Steps:

• Pour ice cream topping into pie shell; you may have to tilt the shell around so the topping spreads evenly .
• Arrange pecans on the topping and chill 15-20 minutes .
• While chilling, combine pie filling mix and milk in a saucepan; blend well .
• Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a full boil .
• Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes , stirring twice .
• Pour over nuts in pie shell.
• Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 3 hours .
• Serve with a dollop of cool whip on top .
• This is also good if you stir 1-2 cups of semi sweet chocolate chips into the pudding once cooled and before spreading it over the pecans .
• Really rich, though .

TURTLE FUDGE SKILLET CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour the bottom and sides of a 12-inch stainless steel, oven-safe skillet with shortening and flour, tapping out any excess flour.
• Combine cake mix, water, eggs, and oil in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer on low speed until moistened. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter into the bottom of the prepared skillet.
• Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen and carefully invert onto a large round platter. Let cool, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine 1/2 of the caramel topping with the baking chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on high until chocolate is melted, about 30 to 60 seconds. Stir mixture until combined and smooth; carefully spread over the cake.
• Sprinkle cake with pecans and drizzle remaining caramel topping over top. Let stand until topping is set. Cut into wedges to serve.

CHOCOLATE TURTLE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, combine the first seven ingredients. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium-low heat until the caramels are melted and mixture is smooth (do not boil). Reduce heat to low. , With an electric hand mixer on medium speed, beat in vanilla; continue beating for 5 minutes. Beat on high for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool for 30 minutes (sauce will thicken as it cools). Pour into glass or plastic food storage containers; refrigerate. Serve warm or cold.