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Heart Shaped Chocolate Covered Date Turtles
5 from 4 votes
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Chocolate Covered Date Caramels

These little Chocolate Covered Date Caramels with a "turtle" version are easy, no-bake and have a healthier twist than the store-bought version. Your friend and loved ones will be so surprised with these cute treats!

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Date, healthy candy, turtles
Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings 30 Candies
Author Fraîche

Ingredients

  • 3 cups pitted Medjool dates
  • 1 cup pecan halves, plus extra for decorating
  • ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chunks (or wafers or discs)
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil
  • Flaked sea salt (we use Maldon)

Instructions

  1. In a food processor, combine the dates and pecans and pulse until almost smooth. Add the graham cracker crumbs, vanilla and salt and pulse again until well combined, and no chunks remain.

  2. Transfer the mixture to the center of a piece of parchment paper on a flat surface. Place another piece of parchment paper on top and using a rolling pin, roll out to an even thickness, a little more than ¼" thick. Transfer the pressed mixture to a baking sheet (with the parchment) and refrigerate for one hour.

  3. Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave, mixing every 20 seconds or so, until melted. Remove the date mixture from the fridge.  Remove the top piece of parchment paper, and using a small cookie cutter, cut desired shapes out of the mixture, setting each aside on a plate or piece of parchment paper (dip the cookie cutter in hot water if needed between cuts to make it easier).  You can either re-roll and cut the scraps to create more or simply roll them into balls and press an additional pecan in them. Alternately you can skip the cookie cutter all-together and just roll them in balls.

  4. Place a cooling rack on top of a piece of parchment paper. Using a fork, dip each of the date candies in the melted chocolate and transfer to the cooling rack to allow excess chocolate to drip off.  Sprinkle lightly with a pinch of flaked sea salt and repeat.  Transfer the caramels back to a the baking sheet lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until firm before eating.  These store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 1 month.