These are so easy to make and everyone loves them. A co-worker that grew up on a pecan farm said they were “obnoxiously-good” – I’ll take that compliment.
Put 2 1/2 cups of pecans into a large skillet. Toast them over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until they have darkened just a bit and smell fragrant (this will only take a few minutes).
Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray. Arrange your pecans into clusters, three to a group works well. You want to leave some space (about an inch) between each cluster.
To make your caramel, place butter into a medium-sized sauce pan. Melt it over medium high heat. Add brown sugar, light corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk to the pan. Increase the heat just a bit and stir it continually. Cook and stir until it reaches 235 degrees – then remove pan from heat.
Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
Carefully drizzle about 1 1/2 teaspoons of caramel over each nut cluster. You’ll want to work quickly, as the caramel will begin to set up. Be sure there is caramel touching all of the nuts in your cluster.
In a microwave safe bowl pour milk chocolate chips. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each cooking interval.
Add 1/2 teaspoon of shortening to the melted chocolate. Allow it to sit for a minute or two (so it can melt and make the chocolate chips more spreadable). Stir it all together.
Spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons of melted chocolate over the top of the caramel and nuts. Swirl it around along the top making a pretty swoop with your spoon.
Allow the chocolate to set up. Once it has hardened and cooled you can serve them immediately, or transfer them to an air tight container.