Description
Quick homemade chocolate turtles similar to the classic Canadian treat! Crunchy pecans, date caramel, a chocolate coating & ready in minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cup pecan halves (raw or roasted, 72 pieces)
- 1 cup pitted deglet noor dates (about 20, softened in warm water for 5 minutes if needed)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup oat flour (or whole quick or rolled oats)
- 1/2 cup non-dairy chocolate chips (use 1 cup if coating the entire candy in chocolate)
- 1 tsp melted coconut oil
*All the ingredients for this recipe are from our pantry and freezer tips!
Instructions
- Add soft dates, oat flour or whole oats, and sea salt to your food processor. Blend until a smooth, sticky dough forms.
- Arrange your pecan halves into groups of three on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Scoop a teaspoon size of date caramel “dough” and form it into a flat patty.
- If making turtles where you want the pecans exposed, arrange the pecans in a “Y” shape and press the date caramel patty on top. If making turtles that will be completely covered in chocolate; lay two pecan halves side by side, press the date caramel patty on top and add one more pecan halve on top of the caramel to sandwich the caramel between the pecans. (I actually like organizing the pecans and caramel this second way and then just drizzling chocolate on top… it can be a little easier to store the chocolates and slightly easier to eat than having the turtles “legs” sticking out).
- Continue forming your turtles until all the date caramel has been used. Store the turtles in your freezer to harden for a few minutes while you melt your chocolate.
- Add coconut oil or another neutral oil to the chocolate chips (this is not absolutely necessary but it will thin the chocolate and make it easier to work with. If you are melting more chocolate and dunking the entire turtle, use 2 tsp coconut oil). Melt the chocolate using a double boiler method or in the microwave. If using the microwave, heat the chocolate chips for 30 seconds, take them out and stir them. Heat in increments of 10 seconds more (stirring in between) until melted.
- With the chocolate melted, remove the turtles from the freezer and drizzle a teaspoon or so of chocolate over the body of each turtle. Alternatively, dunk each turtle into the melted chocolate, use a fork to lift the turtle out, tap off the excess chocolate, and lay the chocolate covered turtle back on the baking tray.
- When all the turtles have their chocolate coating, return the baking tray to the fridge or freezer for at least 10 minutes until the chocolate has hardened.
- Store the turtles in the fridge or freezer if they are not gobbled up immediately! These will store well in the fridge for 1 week and up to 1 month in the freezer.
Notes
Approximate Cost: CAD $5.00 ($0.21/each if 24 are made). This recipe makes approximately 475g which is about $1.05/100g vs. at least $2.57/100g for the traditional store-bought turtles chocolates.
A trick to avoiding a white swirl through your hardened chocolate; as can sometimes happen when the chocolate is not very high quality, is to stir a few unmelted chocolate chips into your melted chocolate. Stir vigorously to melt those additional chips. The cold chips will help lower the temperature of the melted chocolate which can prevent the chocolate from overheating and prevent that white swirl from forming when the chocolate hardens.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Raw
- Cuisine: Canadian