Polar Bear Paws

This year I'm giving away boxes of sweets that are Canadian or Alaskan inspired. One fun recipe I came across, one I liked more than I expected (as I am not a huge fan of white chocolate.) This is apparently a copycat recipe from something you can buy from See's Candies, but that's not local to me anymore. They were all over when I lived in the northwest.

The author of the copycat recipe links to her homemade caramel recipe but since I had so much to make this weekend I definitely took the easy way out of homemade caramel.

I ended up making two shapes, some that are flatter, and some that are thicker clusters. The thicker ones were harder to dip in white chocolate but nicer to bite into, and a better balance of salt (peanuts) and white chocolate (coating.) But it's not as sweet as you would think.

Polar Bear Paws

Ingredients

• 1 (11 ounce) bag Kraft Caramel Bits or squares
• 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup peanuts roasted and/or cocktail
• 12 ounces vanilla almond bark or white melting wafers

Instructions

1. Line a large cookie sheet with Silpat mats (or parchment paper) and grease it with butter. Set aside.
2. Melt caramels with butter and cream in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring, and repeating until smooth.
3. Mix in the peanuts and then let it sit in the bowl to cool for about 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
4. Spoon onto the mats in tablespoon size mounds. Place in the fridge for 30-60 minutes until set.
5. Place chocolate in a bowl and melt in the microwave on low in 30 second increments and stir until melted and smooth. Dip caramel cluster in the chocolate and use a fork to remove it. Holding it over the bowl, tap the fork on the edge to let any excess chocolate drip back down. Place cluster back on the parchment lined pan and repeat with remaining clusters.
6. Put the pan back in the fridge for 30-60 minutes until chocolate is set. Remove and package up.