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Halloween: Pecan Caramel Spiders

Source of Recipe


Slade Grove, of Wicked Witch Bakery (Phoenix, AZ)



List of Ingredients



• 1½ cups toasted pecans
  
• 1 cup heavy cream
  
• 1 cup granulated sugar
  
• ½ cup light corn syrup
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, in small pieces
  
• ¼ tsp salt
  
• 5 ounces thin black licorice strands, cut into 2-inch pieces
  
• ¾ cup semisweet chocolate, chopped
  
• ½ cup milk chocolate, chopped
  
• Chocolate curls, or small shavings from a chocolate bar
  






Instructions



1. On a baking sheet lined with waxed paper, mound 30 small clusters of pecans, about 3 or 4 pecans each, spaced a few inches apart on the sheet.
   
   
2. Make the caramel:
   Warm the cream over low heat and keep warm while cooking the sugar. Place sugar and corn syrup in a deep, heavy-bottomed large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Stop stirring, raise the heat to medium-high heat and simmer until the sugar reaches the "hard crack" or 305° F on a candy thermometer. Whisk the butter and salt into the sugar mixture.
   
   
3. Gradually pour in the cream, and add the vanilla. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar reaches the "soft ball" stage, or 240° F on a candy thermometer. Immediately remove from heat and cool for 1 minute.
   
   
4. Ladle a few tablespoons of warm caramel over a few of the nut clusters to make the bodies of the spiders. Next, 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 to help, because the caramel can set quickly.) If caramel hardens before all the spiders are made, warm over very low heat. Let spiders cool 15 minutes.
   
   
5. Meanwhile, put the chocolates in a medium, heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch of water to a very slow simmer. Set a bowl over, but not touching the water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. Spoon about 1 tablespoon melted chocolate on top of each spider. Sprinkle with chocolate curls; let cool until firm.
   
   Makes 30