salted caramel and toasted pecan truffles

Ingredients

• Servings: 2
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons heavy cream
• 9 (1 ounce) squares semi-sweet baking chocolate, divided
• 1/8 teaspoon diamond crystal® kosher salt or coarse sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe

Preparation Time: 8 mins Cook Time: 10 mins Ready Time: 4 hrs


• toast pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 1 minute. set aside to cool.
• heat sugar over medium-high heat in a heavy pan or dutch oven, stirring constantly. when sugar begins to melt, stir and cook until sugar turns a rich golden color. if color is too light, caramel flavor will be too faint.
• remove caramelized sugar from heat; stir in cream. return to heat and reduce heat to low. cook and stir until caramel is well-dissolved into the cream. remove from heat and stir in salt, vanilla, and half of the chocolate. stir until chocolate has melted. stir in toasted pecan bits.
• transfer mixture to a bowl and cool slightly. cover and refrigerate until set, about an hour.
• form/roll into 24 small balls, about 3/4- to 1-inch, and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. chill 1 hour.
• place the remaining chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave on high for about 15 seconds; stir; continue to microwave in 15-second intervals until chocolate is melted.
• using a fork, roll the balls in the melted chocolate and place back on the parchment-lined bake sheet. quickly sprinkle truffles with a few grains of diamond crystal® kosher salt or coarse sea salt. chill to set, about an hour.