3 pecan caramel spiders Recipes

toasted pecans, heavy cream, granulated sugar, light corn syrup, vanilla extract, unsalted butter, in pieces, salt, black licorice strands , cut into 2-inch pieces, semisweet chocolate, chopped, milk chocolate, chopped, chocolate curls or jimmies, optional, line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper and lightly spray with, mound 30 small clusters of pecans , about 3 or 4 pecans each, spaced a, couple inches apart on the pan ., make caramel : warm the cream over low heat and keep warm while you, cook the sugar ., put the sugar and corn syrup and in a deep, heavy-bottomed large, saucepan ., cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar, dissolves ., stop stirring , raise heat to medium-high, and simmer until the sugar, reaches the hard crack stage , or 305 degrees f on a candy, thermometer , about 7 minutes., whisk the butter and salt into the sugar mixture., gradually pour in the cream and vanilla taking care since the mixture, will bubble up ., reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring, occasionally , until the sugar reaches soft ball stage, 240 degrees f, on the thermometer , about 5 minutes more., immediately remove from the heat and cool for a minute., ladle a couple tbsp of warm caramel over some of the nut, clusters , to make the spider bodies., then press 6 pieces of licorice into the warm caramel to make the, legs ., repeat with the remaining caramel and licorice., helpful to have an extra hand here, since the caramel can set, quickly ., if caramel hardens, warm over very low heat . ), let spiders cool 15 minutes ., meanwhile , put the chocolates in a medium heatproof bowl., bring a saucepan filled with 1-inch or so of water to a very slow, simmer; set the bowl over , but not touching, the water., stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth ., alternatively , put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl., melt at 50 percent power in the microwave until soft , about 1 minute., stir , and continue heat until completely melted, 2 to 3 minutes, spoon about 1 tbsp of melted chocolate on top of each spider ., sprinkle with jimmies or chocolate curls, if desired., let cool until firm .

toasted pecans, heavy cream, granulated sugar, light corn syrup, vanilla extract, unsalted butter, in pieces, salt, black licorice strands , cut into 2-inch pieces, semisweet chocolate, chopped, milk chocolate, chopped, chocolate curls or jimmies, optional