Pecan Caramel Spiders Food

PECAN CARMEL CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Place caramels, butter, and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high, stirring every 30 seconds, until smooth, about 3 minutes. Stir in pecans.
• Drop caramel pecan mixture by spoonfuls onto parchment paper. Place in freezer for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Dip each caramel cluster into chocolate using a fondue fork until coated; place on parchment paper to dry. Chill until firm, if necessary.

PECAN-CARAMEL SPIDERS

Steps:

• Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper and lightly spray with nonstick spray. Mound 30 small clusters of pecans, about 3 or 4 pecans each, spaced a couple inches apart on the pan.
• Make caramel: Warm the cream over low heat and keep warm while you cook the sugar.
• Put the sugar and corn syrup and in a deep, heavy-bottomed large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. 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.
• Whisk the butter and salt into the sugar mixture. Gradually pour in the cream and vanilla taking care since the mixture will bubble up. 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. Immediately remove from the heat and cool for a minute.
• Ladle a couple tablespoons of warm caramel over some of the nut clusters, to make the spider bodies. Then press 6 pieces of licorice into the warm caramel to make the legs. Repeat with the remaining caramel and licorice. (It's helpful to have an extra hand here, since the caramel can set quickly. If caramel hardens, warm over very low heat. ) Let spiders cool 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the chocolates in a medium heatproof bowl. 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. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. (Alternatively, put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Melt at 50 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 1 minute. Stir, and continue heat until completely melted, 2 to 3 minutes more.)
• Spoon about 1 tablespoon of melted chocolate on top of each spider. Sprinkle with jimmies or chocolate curls, if desired. Let cool until firm.

PECAN - CARAMEL SPIDERS

Steps:

• 1. Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper and lightly spray with nonstick spray. Mound 30 small clusters of pecans, about 3 or 4 pecans each, spaced a couple inches apart on the pan. Make caramel: Warm the cream over low heat and keep warm while you cook the sugar. Put the sugar and corn syrup and in a deep, heavy-bottomed large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. 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. Whisk the butter and salt into the sugar mixture. Gradually pour in the cream and vanilla taking care since the mixture will bubble up. 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. Immediately remove from the heat and cool for a minute. Ladle a couple tablespoons of warm caramel over some of the nut clusters, to make the spider bodies. Then press 6 pieces of licorice into the warm caramel to make the legs. Repeat with the remaining caramel and licorice. (It's helpful to have an extra hand here, since the caramel can set quickly. If caramel hardens, warm over very low heat. ) Let spiders cool 15 minutes. ~ Meanwhile, put the chocolates in a medium heatproof bowl. 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. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. (Alternatively, put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Melt at 50 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 1 minute. Stir, and continue heat until completely melted, 2 to 3 minutes more.) ~ Spoon about 1 tablespoon of melted chocolate on top of each spider. Sprinkle with jimmies or chocolate curls, if desired. Let cool until firm.

PECAN CARAMEL CANDIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°. Place pretzels 1 in. apart on foil-lined baking sheets. Top each with a Rolo candy., Bake 3-4 minutes or until candies are softened. (Rolos will still retain their shape.) Immediately top with pecans, pressing to spread candy into pretzel. Let stand until set.

PECAN-CARAMEL PARFAITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put pecans in a pie plate and roast in the oven until nutty smelling and toasty, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, remove ice cream from freezer and let stand at room temperature or at least 15 minutes to soften.
• Remove nuts from the oven and let cool. Turn off oven.
• Choose 4 to 6 clear plastic parfait glasses, beer glasses, or any see-through unbreakable glass of at least 12-ounce capacity.
• In each of the glasses, put about 2 tablespoons caramel or butterscotch sauce in bottom. Top with a layer of softened ice cream, packing it down slightly and being careful not to smear the sides of the glass too much (if you do smear glass while making layers, wipe down inside with paper towels as you work). Sprinkle with a teaspoon or so of pecans. Continue layering in the same fashion: sauce, ice cream, pecans until you reach the top of the glass. Make the last layer sauce and sprinkle it with pecans.
• Wrap the glasses tightly with plastic wrap and put in freezer (or outside in the snow) until ready to serve.

ROLO PECAN CARAMEL CANDIES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Cover cookie sheet with aluminum foil & place pretzels individually to form 1 layer.
• 2. Place 1 unwrapped Rolo candy on top of each pretzel. Bake at 250 degrees for 4 minutes. Immediately remove from oven & quickly place a pecan half on top of candy. Press down to "squish" the chocolate into the pretzel & flatten out.
• 3. Cool 15-20 minutes, then refrigerate until chocolate is firm, usually 20-30 minutes.