Turtles! These were my husbands favourite chocolates pre-Eat2Run days. So this year (finally!!) I figured it’s high time I recreated them for him.

It’s actually pretty crazy how similar in taste they are to the ‘real’ thing – the creamy caramel centre over the crunchy pecans and covered by rich chocolate. Only I’d like to argue these are more appropriately called the real thing as they are made with only real and whole food ingredients – no glucose, modified milk ingredients, modified palm oil, lactose or artificial flavour here!!

Healthy Homemade Turtles (makes 32)

Ingredients

raw, unsalted pecans (160 pecan halves)

10 medjool dates, pitted
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp coconut butter
2 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp honey (or brown rice syrup)
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp sea salt

2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp coconut butter
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp honey (or brown rice syrup)
1 Tbsp coconut sugar or raw cane sugar (optional)
¼ cup raw cacao powder

Directions

Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Arrange pecan halves on the trays in groups of 5.
Caramel – In a food processor, add dates, coconut oil, coconut butter, maple syrup, honey (or brown rice syrup), salt and vanilla extract. Process until smooth and creamy – will be thick and very sticky.
Drop a teaspoon of the caramel mixture onto each group of 5 pecans. Oil your fingers with coconut oil and press the caramel flat onto the pecans (the caramel will hold the pecans in place). Chill until set.
Chocolate coating – In a saucepan over low heat, melt coconut oil, coconut butter, maple syrup, honey (or brown rice syrup) and optional coconut sugar (for a sweeter chocolate). Whisk in 1/4 cup raw cacao powder until smooth. Remove from heat.
Pour the chocolate into a bowl and using forks, dip each caramel/pecan turtle into the chocolate, let drip for a second and then return to parchment paper. Chill until set.
Store in freezer. Note, serve chilled – the chocolate tends to soften if left at room temperature.