Sweet & Salty Georgia Browns
Roasted Pecans
- 2 cups pecans (halves or pieces)
- 2 tbsp (28g) butter, melted
- 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
Preheat your oven to 325F with a rack in the middle position. Melt butter, mix in salt, then add pecans and toss.
Spread out in an even layer in a parchment paper-lined 89x13 pan and bake for about 15 minutes. The nuts will be fragrant and slightly darker in colour.
Set aside to cool.
Creamy Caramel
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 tbsp (57g) unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 1/4 cup corn syrup
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Put the cream and butter in a small saucepan and warm just until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and keep close by.
Put the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large sauce pan. Gently whisk to combine, trying not to get any up the sides of the pan.
Place the pot over medium heat and do not stir any more. Let it come to a boil. Check occasionally with an instant read thermometer and remove the syrup from the heat when it is between 250F and 275F. It will be translucent and boiling rapidly at this point.
Remove from heat, whisk in the warm cream and butter mixture. Be careful, because the syrup will bubble and nearly triple in size.
Return the pot to medium heat, and let it come to a boil, without stirring again. Remove from the heat when it reaches 245F. Watch carefully, as it can not go above 250F or the caramel will be too hard and not chewy.
Remove from the heat and WHISK IN THE VANILLA AND SALT.
Pour caramel evently over the top of the pecans in 9x13 pan.
Allow to cool completely, on counter (or in fridge or freezer to speed things up, but do not let dry or chocolate will not stick).
Chocolate Topping:
- 1 1/2 (250g) good chocolate (I use 50g milk + 200g dark lindt chocolate bars), melted
- optional: white chocolate for drizzling over
Once the candies are cool, melt chocolate in a glass bowl in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds. Spoon melted chocolate over each candy. Optional: drizzle with white chocolate and use toothpick to swirl.
Let cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature.