Description
Vegan chocolate turtles are a fun and easy dessert to make. A layer of crunchy pecans topped with homemade caramel, dark chocolate and flaked sea salt. The perfect treat for the Holidays.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 batch of vegan caramel (cooked for 8 minutes)
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 5 to 6 ounces dark chocolate bar (use vegan/dairy free, if needed)
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- Optional: flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a medium rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat – grease either one really well (don’t skip the greasing because the caramel is really sticky), set pan aside.
- Toast pecans: Spread the pecan halves onto a small rimmed baking sheet and bake them for 5 to 8 minutes, tossing half way through. You will know they’re done when they’re fragrant and slightly browned. Allow the pecans to cool completely. Note: you can skip this step but it does make for a crunchier chocolate turtle.
- Make the caramel: If you haven’t already made the vegan caramel now. Be sure to boil the caramel for 8 minutes for thicker caramel that works best when making the chocolate turtles. Allow it to cool enough to handle, but so that it’s still pour-able. If you’ve already made the caramel than you can heat it up in the microwave just before making the turtles.
- Make the turtles: Working on the lined and greased baking sheet arrange 4 to 5 pecan halves in a circle – you should have room for 12 pecan circles. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons over each pecan circle, making sure to cover each pecan with some caramel so that everything sticks together. Repeat until you’ve covered all the pecans with caramel. Place the pan in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Melt the chocolate: Place the chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 second increments, stirring in between each one, until the chocolate is completely melted. Allow the chocolate to cool slightly so that it won’t melt the caramel.
- Add the chocolate: Spoon 1 to 2 teaspoons of the melted chocolate over the caramel and pecan clusters making sure to spread it evenly over the caramel, leaving some of the pecans exposed. Sprinkle each one with a little flaked sea salt (if desired).
- Chill: Allow the chocolate turtles to chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour, although they set the best if left in the fridge overnight.
- Store: use a spatula to help remove the chocolate turtles from the parchment paper. Store them in an air tight container with layers of parchment paper between each one to prevent sticking – store in the fridge for up to 1 week. Keep chilled when possible, the caramel becomes sticky as it warms up.
Notes
You will have some caramel leftover. Lucky you!!!!
Chocolate: normally I wold say you can use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate if you want. BUT for this recipe I highly recommend using really dark chocolate that’s not very high in sugar – the bitterness helps to balance out the super sweet caramel.
