Author Notes: My son calls it the Boy Scout’s Turtle Cookie. It all started out during a cookie experiment with the timing of the Girl Scout’s annual cookie sale. The turtle cookies tasted so good, I took it a step further and made it into a tart for a “Dessert Dash” at my son’s school auction dinner. The tart can be dressed up with spun sugar. —lambie
Serves: 10
Ingredients
Pecan Shortbread Crust
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1
cup unsalted butter, soften
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1/2
cup granulated sugar
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2
cups All purpose flour
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1/4
teaspoon baking powder
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1/4
teaspoon salt
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1/2
teaspoon vanilla extract
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1/4
cup finely chopped toasted pecans
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Up to 2
tablespoons milk
Caramel turtles and Chocolate ganache filling
-
1
cup granulated sugar
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1/2
cup packed brown sugar
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1/2
cup corn syrup
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1/2
cup evaporated milk
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1
cup heavy whipping cream
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1/2
cup unsalted butter
-
1/4
teaspoon sea salt
-
1
teaspoon vanilla extract
-
1
cup toasted pecan halves
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10
ounces chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
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10
ounces heavy cream
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1
tablespoon vanilla or a liquor like bourbon
Directions
Pecan Shortbread Crust
- In a bowl, sift together flour/baking powder/salt, set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar till fluffy.
- Turn mixer down to low speed. Add in sifted flour mixture, vanilla and milk as needed to obtain a soft dough.
- Add in finely chopped and toasted pecans. The dough should come together and look like cookie dough.
- Scoop mixture into a parchment line 10″ tart pan. Press dough evenly into the tart pan.
- Chill in the refrigerate for 2 hours or 30 minutes in the freezer.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with the rack in the center of the oven.
- Place tart pan on cookie sheet and put into oven. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly brown on the edges.
- Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
Caramel turtles and Chocolate ganache filling
- In a medium-size pot, combine sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, evaporated milk, whipping cream, and butter. Monitor the heat of the mixture with a candy thermometer while stirring. When the thermometer reaches 240 degrees F (120 degrees C) remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir in vanilla.
- Spread toasted pecan halves evenly layered into the cooled tart crust.
- Pour and spread hot caramel mixture over the pecan halves in the tart crust. Let caramel tart cool for 30 minutes.
- In small sauce pan, bring the heavy cream up to just under a simmer over medium heat. Remove pan from heat.
- Add in chopped chocolate and let it sit for 3-5 minutes.
- Stir gently until mixture is fully blended, once mixture is glossy, stir in vanilla or a liquor (bourbon).
- Pour chocolate mixture over the cool caramel and pecan tart till it reaches the top of the crust.
- Let the tart cool on the counter until the chocolate is set up enough to be moved into the refrigerator.
- The tart is best served at room temperature, but will be easiest to cut when it is cold. Served with some fresh whipped cream. (Chantilly cream)