Pecan Delights

This is by far my favorite Chocolate so far that we've made this Christmas season.  It's got homemade dulce de leche, pecans picked by my brother and then unshelled by my parents, and yummy dark and milk chocolate wrapped warmly around them. The result?  Pure delight.  Ahh family, it really brings it all together during the holidays.  

Pecan Delights



Ingredients:

• 1 cup prepared dulce de leche, firm
• 2 cups large pecan halves
• 1/2 lb chocolate candy coating
• 1/2 lb dark chocolate candy coating

Directions:

• First, prepare the dulce de leche a day in advance.  You can find my recipe here so be sure to make this a day before you prepare these.  Or you can use the store bought duce de leche. The choice is up to you. 
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees F, and place the pecan halves on a baking sheet. Bake until toasted, about 8-10 minutes, stirring several times during the process to avoid burning the nuts. Allow the nuts to cool completely before moving on to the next step.
• Use a small spoon to scoop up a bit of dulce de leche, and place it on a pecan half. Top the dulce de leche with another pecan half, pressing gently to create a sandwich. Place this on a baking sheet lined with foil, and repeat with remaining pecans and dulce de leche. Refrigerate the sandwiches while you prepare the chocolate.

• Melt the chocolate candy coating in the microwave. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval to prevent overheating. Stir the chocolate coating until it is completely smooth.
• Place a pecan sandwich in the melted chocolate and spoon chocolate over the top until it is completely covered. Remove it from the chocolate using a fork or dipping tools, and tap the fork against the bowl several times so excess chocolate drops off. Drag the bottom along the lip of the bowl to remove additional chocolate, then place the dipped pecan sandwich back on the foil-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pecans and chocolate until you have used up both dark and regular chocolates.
• Refrigerate the tray until the chocolate is set, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately, or store the Pecan Delights in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.

Adapted from a recipe found on About.com



Linked up on Foodie Friends Friday 12/21/2012