It Was So Good the First Time Around...

Almost a year ago, as part of my run up to Valentines Day (still can't believe that I posted for 14 days straight...and have not ever again), I posted a truly decadent and delicious chocolate fondue recipe. It used caramels, chocolate, and nuts...that is a combination that is hard to beat.

I'm posting it again because it makes a wonderful dessert for your Valentine...you can dip and feed each other pieces of fresh or dried fruit, cookie pieces, nuts, marshmallows...you get the idea.

The other reason I'm posting it again is that Holly of Phemomenon has invited us to post Art That You Eat with the theme of Chocolate and this Chocolate Caramel Nut Fondue fits very well. Try it and see if you don't agree.

If I were in the mood to make this fondue again, I'd so a few things differently. First of all I'd unwrap all those caramels before I chopped the chocolate so that if I cut my thumb, which I did, I wouldn't have to unwrap all those little devils almost one handed...a neat trick. Secondly, I'd combine the milk and caramels and cook them first until the candies had almost melted, then add the chocolate, melt, then the nuts. That way you can be sure that the candies are melted and smooth. With the nuts added before the melting, it's harder to tell what is smooth. Otherwise I'd do it the same. Having nuts and both dried and fresh fruits, plus the shortbread cookies meant that there were lots of different sizes and textures as well as flavors.

Turtle Fondue (With or Without the Pot)

Adapted from Perfect Recipes For Having People Over by Pam Anderson

8 oz. caramels, unwrapped
2 oz. semisweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
¼ cup finely chopped pecans, pre-toasted at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes until fragrant
¼ cup milk
Fresh fruit, such as apples, pears, bananas, strawberries, grapes or figs; larger fruit cut into bite sized pieces
Cubes of pound cake, pieces of shortbread cookies
Dried fruits like apricots, peaches or figs
(I added some almonds and macadamia nuts, too.)

Combine caramels, chocolate, nuts and milk in a small heavy saucepan (or a fondue pot) and heat over low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth and warm. Serve in small bowls with skewers (or fondue forks) for dipping fresh and dried fruits and pound cake. Dip cookies while holding end of the cookie.

If you have a fondue pot, use it. If you use the heavy pot, the fondue sauce retains the heat fairly well. If it starts to cool off, simply return the pot to the stove and reheat.

Serves 2 to 4.