Salted Peanut Caramel Clusters

Salted Peanut Caramel Clusters ~ This homemade candy can be assembled in minutes with just three components: salted peanuts, caramel and melted chocolate.

This is a fast and easy no-bake dessert. So with Mother’s Day around the corner I needed something that I could whip up without much fuss to gift.

Ding! Enter these Salted Peanut Caramel Clusters. 

Anyone notice how my recipes of lately have been super easy, super fast and don’t require much time? There’s a reason for that. Now, I would love to use the excuse that work and home have been mad-crazy busy, but it seems like that’s been the pace of life lately.

So, I really have no excuse. I hate to admit it, but I’m tired and just feeling lazy. Thankfully, it’s Friday and this weekend I’m going to beg my son, who during the week has to be dragged out of bed but wakes up at the first crack of light on the weekend – to SLEEP IN!

Seriously, someone tell me what is up with that?

Shouldn’t four-year-olds be pass the point of needing  Mom around in the morning. Along with that, I think now is a good time to throw up his Baby-Do List right alongside his dad’s Honey-Do List, which seems thoroughly appropriate for this Mother’s Day weekend.

A few notes:

• I made this with homemade caramel sauce that I always have on hand. I’m sure you can use store bought caramel, but I haven’t tried it.  If someone does, please come back and let the rest of us know how it works.
• If you are allergic peanuts, any nut will do.
• If caramel is not your thing, use another binding agent for the nuts  like peanut butter, Nutella or honey.

Salted Peanut Caramel Clusters

Makes 1 dozen 11/2 inch clusters

Preparation: Line bake sheet with parchment paper.

Ingredients:

Clusters:

• 2 ½ cups salted peanuts
• 1 cup of homemade caramel sauce (recipe follows)
• 2 cups of chopped chocolate, melted

Homemade Caramel Sauce:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons water
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 10 tablespoons of heavy cream
• ½ teaspoons of kosher salt

Instructions:

Clusters:

1. Mix peanuts with caramel sauce. Scoop out one measured tablespoon onto the parchment. Freeze salted peanut caramel clusters for 30 minutes.
2. Place chocolate in a heat proof bowl and set over (not on) simmering water and heat until melted.
3. Remove salted peanut caramel clusters from freezer and dip in melted chocolate and then place on parchment paper to rest until chocolate has harden.

Homemade Caramel Sauce:

Add sugar and water into a saucepan over medium low heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Use a wet brush to remove any crystals that form on the side. Once sugar has dissolved increase heat to high. Now and then, using the handle give the pot a swirl to keep the mixture moving. Do not stir the mixture directly. The mixture will start to bubble after a minute. As the mixture darkens to a medium amber color, approximately 5-7 minutes, add the butter and cream to saucepan. The mixture will bubble wildly. Whisk to combine (bubbles will subside upon cooling). Add salt and stir to combine.