These are probably the most widespread “favourite” on the treat side of my cookbook. And why not with a combination of chocolate and caramel you appeal to twice as many people! I always make a bakery size pan at Christmas so I have some for home and enough to share at Cliff’s Plumbing & Heating during the last work days. How nice for me and other people with Celiac Disease they are easily changed up to leave out the gluten!

Turtle Square Recipe Page 185 Also see Holiday Date Balls posted last year!

Turtle Squares

These are just about the most delicious, crowd-pleasing squares you can make. Doreen concocted this recipe by combining a Nanaimo bar base and Wellington square filling – twice the enjoyment! I have included the recipe for the larger

Base: 
1/2  cup melted margarine
1/4  cup cocoa powder
1/4  cup white sugar
1  egg, beaten tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4  cups GF graham crumbs – I sometimes use part GF crisp rice cereal crushed
1  cup desiccated coconut
Filling: 
1  can (300 ml) sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2/3 cup melted margarine
2 Tbsp corn syrup
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Topping:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks
1/4 cup margarine

• For base mix margarine, cocoa, sugar and egg in microwaveable bowl and cook about
• 1 minute, stopping to stir half way through, until mixture is bubbling. Do not overcook or crumbs may not stick together.
• Stir in vanilla, graham crumbs and coconut until evenly distributed. Crumbs should stick
• together nicely or they will not cut properly later.
• Press into a 9 x 13 inch pan and let cool.
• For filling cook condensed milk, brown sugar, margarine and corn syrup in a heavy pot over medium low heat until mixture comes to a full boil, stirring frequently. If bits of brown start forming on the bottom, turn down the heat a notch and don’t worry since mostly they will mix in as the rest browns.
• Reduce heat slightly and boil 5 minutes stirring constantly. It will take a little longer to cook the filling for the larger pan. Caramel is done if spoon is leaving a clean path on the bottom of the pot for a second and mixture is a nice golden brown

• Let cool slightly then spread on base and sprinkle pecans evenly over the surface, pressing in slightly.
• Refrigerate for an hour or more until set.
• For topping microwave chocolate and margarine together on low power, about 1 minute, stopping often to stir and check the chocolate. Chocolate can burn easily. I usually take it out when there are still a few lumps remaining and stir until they melt, returning to microwave only if necessary.
• Spread over cooled caramel layer with a spatula.
• Cool and cut into 35 squares.
• If the caramel is hard when refrigerated you may need to serve the squares at room temperature.