Grandma's Pecan Rolls

Grandma’s Pecan Rolls

 
Fondant:

4 C sugar
2 C whipping cream
1 cube butter
1 T Karo syrup

Place two cookie sheets in the fridge or freezer to chill them for about an hour. Don’t butter them!

Melt the cube of butter in a large, heavy pan. Butter the sides of the pan as the butter melts. Add the cream and karo syrup, stirring until warm. Slowly add the sugar, being careful not to touch the sides of the pan with the spoon. After all the big lumps of sugar are gone, put a lid on the pan and let it come to a boil. When it’s at a full boil, put your candy thermometer in and cook and stir until it reaches soft ball stage(228°-230°). Watch sides of pan for sugar crystals.

Pour the candy onto your chilled cookie sheets. Let it cool, then start working the candy, (you are basically beating it) (a meat fork works best) until it changes texture and thickens. Sometimes the candy may still feel too sticky to form into logs. If so, put it in a glass dish in the fridge to cool first. If it goes a little hard, just mold it with your hands. Shape into 8 large or 10 small logs.

Immediately wrap each log in foil lined parchment paper, foil side out. Place in the freezer until you are ready to cover with caramel. Placing the wrapped rolls in a gallon baggie will help prevent freezer burn.

Caramel:

3 C sugar
3 C half and half
1 ¼ C Karo syrup
1 C butter
1 C flour

Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Pour 3 (8 oz.) bags of pecan cookie pieces (just very tiny pecan pieces), evenly covering both pans.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and continue cooking for a few minutes. Set aside. In another small saucepan, slowly warm 1 ½ C half and half. Keep warm, but do not boil it. Put sugar, syrup and 1 ½ C half and half in large pan. Stirring constantly over medium heat, bring to boil. Continue stirring until it reaches soft ball stage (215°). Slowly add the warmed half and half, stirring constantly. Bring it to a boil until it reaches 220°. Slowly add the flour and butter mixture, stirring constantly until it reaches 215°-220° again. This may take quite awhile, and be careful not to burn the caramel on the bottom of the pan.

Pour caramel evenly over the two pecan lined cookie sheets. Using a wooden spoon or a butter knife, carefully spread the caramel until it covers the entire pan. Let it cool until it is easy to handle.

Get the fondant centers out of the freezer. Place one at a time onto the caramel, cutting a piece large enough to roll over the center (a butcher knife works well). Use your hands to seal the caramel and push the pecans into place. Cover the finished logs immediately in parchment paper and then again in plastic wrap. Place each finished roll into the fridge or freezer, depending on how fast you will be using it. Again, if keeping in the freezer, it’s best to put the wrapped rolls into a gallon baggie to prevent freezer burn.