Salty Chocolate-Pecan Candy

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The hardest part about making Salty Chocolate-Pecan Candy is waiting for the chocolate to firm up before devouring it.

To get the marbled effect, alternate white and dark chocolate squares on a baking pan. Bake as directed, remove from oven, and immediately swirl the warm chocolate with a wooden pick.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
  • 3 (4-oz.) bars bittersweet chocolate baking bars
  • 3 (4-oz.) white chocolate baking bars
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt*

Preparation

  1. Place pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet.
  2. Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted.
  3. Line a 17- x 12-inch jelly-roll pan with parchment paper. Break each chocolate bar into 8 equal pieces. (You will have 48 pieces total.) Arrange in a checkerboard pattern in jelly-roll pan, alternating white and dark chocolate. (Pieces will touch.)
  4. Bake at 225° for 5 minutes or just until chocolate is melted. Remove pan to a wire rack. Swirl chocolates into a marble pattern using a wooden pick. Sprinkle evenly with toasted pecans and salt.
  5. Chill 1 hour or until firm. Break into pieces. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 month.

*3/4 teaspoon kosher salt may be substituted.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bars and Ghirardelli White Chocolate Baking Bars.

Praline Pecans

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Pralines are best made when the weather is dry–humidity tends to make them grainy. Be sure to use a heavy saucepan, and work quickly when spooning the pecan mixture onto the wax paper.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons corn syrup
5 cups toasted pecan halves

Preparation

  1. Stir together first 5 ingredients in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, 7 to 8 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 234°.
  2. Remove from heat, and vigorously stir in pecans. Spoon pecan mixture onto wax paper, spreading in an even layer. Let stand 20 minutes or until firm. Break praline-coated pecans apart into pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week. Freeze in an airtight container or zip-top plastic freezer bag up to 1 month.

Velvety Pecan Candy

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Make two batches of Velvety Pecan Candy, one each of chocolate and vanilla. Then prepare to see them disappear.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups coarsely chopped pecans
  • Wax paper
  • 1 1/2 pounds vanilla or chocolate candy coating, coarsely chopped
  • 1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350º. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant.
  2. Line a 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan with wax paper. Lightly grease wax paper.
  3. Microwave candy coating, sweetened condensed milk, and salt in a 2-qt. microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 3 to 5 minutes, stirring at 1-minute intervals. Stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla and pecans. Spread in an even layer in prepared pan. Cover and chill 2 hours or until set.
  4. Turn candy out onto cutting board, and cut into squares. Store, covered, at room temperature.

Candied Pecans

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Candied-Pecans

Ingredients

  • 2 cups pecan halves
  • ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 6 Tablespoons dark corn syrup

Preparation

  1. Stir together pecan halves, brown sugar, and dark corn syrup in a small bowl.
  2. Spread mixture in a lightly greased aluminum foil-lined jelly-roll pan.
  3. Bake at 350° for 12 to 15 minutes or until glaze thickens, stirring every 4 minutes.
  4. Spread in a single layer on wax paper; cool completely, separating pecans as they cool. (For the prettiest garnish, leave some in clusters.)
  5. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Yield: Makes about 2 cups.

Roasted Pecan Fudge

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Soft-ball stage (234°) is a candy-making term. Drop a small amount of boiling mixture (in this recipe, the sugar, milk, and butter combination) into a glass cup of cold water. When it forms a soft ball that flattens as you remove it from the water, you’ve reached the soft-ball stage.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups pecan halves
  • 4 tablespoons salt, divided
  • 1 2/3 cups sugar
  • 2/3 cup evaporated milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cups miniature marshmallows
  • 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 450°. Soak pecan halves in water to cover 20 minutes; drain well. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. salt evenly over the bottom of a 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Arrange pecans in a single layer in pan; sprinkle evenly with 2 more Tbsp. salt. Place pecans in hot oven, and turn off oven. Let stand in oven 1 hour and 30 minutes. Toss pecans in a strainer to remove excess salt. Coarsely chop pecans, and cool.
  2. Bring sugar, evaporated milk, and butter to a boil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat; boil, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer registers 234° (about 7 minutes).
  3. Remove from heat; stir in marshmallows and chocolate morsels until smooth. Stir in 2 teaspoon vanilla and chopped pecans.
  4. Pour into a buttered 8-inch square pan; cool completely. Cut into 1-inch square