Caramel Pecan Turtles With Sea Salt

Caramel Pecan Turtles with Sea Salt.

 I am pretty easily pleased when it comes to gifts, and my friends know that I am happy with food related things. So, for my "big" birthday, I received some Maldon Sea Salt flakes from France, White Hawaiian salt crystals, a salt cellar and lots other food related gifts. Way back in one of my first posts I admonished you to ditch the table salt in favor of kosher salt, but I never told you why.When I thought about this post, I went to my spice drawer and realized I had about 6 different kinds of salt, each with a different purpose.

Salt is one of the oldest forms of food preservation. There is refined salt, like white table salt, unrefined salt, like sea salt and iodized salt. Salt can be white, pink or greyish in color. I think table salt actually tastes saltier than kosher salt, because it's finer. And because it's finer, it dissolves more quickly, making it perfect for baking, but not much else. I use kosher or sea salt for all other cooking purposes. Our dinner table salt shaker is Himalayan Pink salt crystals from Trader Joe's. I recently saw the same Himalayan Pink salt crystals in New York City at the Natural History Museum at $14 for the same size shaker I get at Trader Joe's, but quadruple the price!

Himalayan Pink Salt Crystals

Some salts are called "finishing" salts. These salts are added to the food just before serving. In particular, I like to put a coarse sea salt or  flake salt on a steak. (The cracked pepper goes without saying!) If you were to make a rub or brine a turkey, you would use kosher salt. 

Coarse sea salt and Smoked salt.

I just picked up some smoked salt, which has a really intense smoky smell. I haven't figured out what I'm going to use it on yet, but I'll let you know. I would love some Hawaiian black lava salt, (hint) I guess I'll put that on my Christmas list!
I make these Pecan Turtles every year during the holidays because they are fast and easy,  but they look like I spent a lot of time. I pack them up in little boxes and give them as gifts. Now that the "salted caramel" craze is in full swing, I will be topping them with the Maldon sea salt flakes. I gave them a practice run this weekend. I clipped the recipe out of the Pasadena Star News several years ago.

Pecan Turtles with Sea Salt
72 pecan halves
24 caramel candies, unwrapped
1 teaspoon shortening
1 6 ounce package chocolate chips, (I used semi-sweet this time, but I'm going to try dark chocolate next)
Heat oven to 350*F. Place a sheet of aluminum foil, on a cookie sheet and spray with vegetable oil.
For each candy, place 3 pecan halves in a "Y" shape on the foil. Place on caramel over the center. Bake about 10 minutes, just until the caramel melts. Cool 2-3 minutes.
Melt shortening and chocolate chips over a very low heat (or use a double boiler), stirring. Spoon chocolate over the candies, leaving just the tips of the pecans uncovered. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes. Chill until chocolate firms, about 30 minutes. Makes 24