Thank you Karo® Syrup for sponsoring this post. Celebrate sweet moments together with Karo®!
Hosting a bridal, baby shower or other celebratory event? This dessert charcuterie board is just what you need! So many delicious offerings from Pecan Balls to Homemade Soft Caramels, Scotcheroos, fresh fruit and pretzels. There’s something for everyone, and chances are, they’ll want to try it all!
I’m going to be hosting a combined baby shower in a few months for my two sisters who are both expecting little girls in February! They’re due only a few days apart! I’m so excited for them! I can’t wait to get family and friends together to celebrate this memorable time in their lives as we eagerly await the arrival of their sweet bundles of joy!
So much has changed since I had my first baby. I’m loving looking at all the amazing products there are to make moms’ lives easier. And I’m kind of wishing they were available when I was having babies. 🙂 I’ve been buying all the pink, tiny clothes and can’t wait to spoil my sisters’ babies before they’re even born! I live far away, so I’m sad that I don’t get to see them often and watch their bellies grow and shop for all the baby gear with them. But you can bet I’ll be throwing them a fantastic shower to make up for it. 🙂
Since I specialize in desserts and enjoy them so much, the first thing I thought about when planning their shower was which sweet treats to serve. I immediately knew that I needed to put together a charcuterie board with loads of dessert options, plus fresh fruit and pretzels. I can’t get over how beautiful charcuterie boards are and I also love how it’s an all-in-one deal. One board serves everyone and with so many tasty choices, everyone is sure to be pleased!
Thanks to Karo® Syrup, the guests will be very happy with the dessert offerings on this board! Karo® Syrup lends a delightfully incredible texture with the perfect balance of sweetness to the chocolate-covered pecan balls, soft caramels and Scotcheroos. It’s an essential, star ingredient in these homemade, handheld sweets!
I know when I’m using Karo® Syrup in my recipes, that the results are going to be consistently delicious with an unbeatable taste! The guests are going to be blown away at how amazing these treats are!
Karo® Syrup comes in very handy when making many different confections from marshmallows to fudges, caramels, pies, sticky cinnamon rolls, sauces and glazes! I love how versatile it is! I keep it in stock at all times in my kitchen for all my baking needs.
Will you be hosting a special event soon? With the holidays just around the corner, this dessert board would also be so perfect for Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving or holiday gatherings. I host a Favorite Things Party every year during the holiday season and I know what I’ll be serving for dessert! 🙂 A gorgeous charcuterie board like this, especially when it involves desserts, is sure to impress everyone at the gathering!
To put this charcuterie board together, simply start in the middle and work your way out. Add some pretzels to the center, then two small bowls of yogurt-covered cranberries. Next, add sections of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, caramel squares, pecan balls, and Scotcheroos. Make sure the space is well filled.
I love when there are lots of different treats to sample when I attend a gathering. It’s so fun to try a little of everything! This is the beauty of a charcuterie board. I hope you get to put one together soon!
Scotcheroos
1 c. smooth and creamy peanut butter
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. Karo® Syrup
1 pkg. (11 oz) butterscotch chips
6 cups rice krispies
1 pkg. (11 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions: Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray. In a large pot over the stove top, add peanut butter, sugar, Karo® Syrup and butterscotch chips. Melt over medium heat, stirring constantly. When all melted, immediately add Rice Krispies and quickly stir until all coated. Immediately press mixture evenly into prepared pan. Melt semi-sweet chocolate chips in microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between. Pour over the base, let the chocolate set, then cut into squares. Serve at room temperature.
Homemade Soft Caramels
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. Karo® Syrup
1/2 c. evaporated milk
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1/2 c. salted butter, cut into squares
Directions: Line an 8″x8″ pan with wax or parchment paper so it hangs over the sides.
In a large pot over the stove top on medium-high heat, add brown sugar, granulated sugar, Karo® Syrup, evaporated milk, heavy whipping cream and butter. Stir constantly over the stove top heat with a wooden spoon or spatula (you’ll want to put an oven mitt over your hands because it will get hot), making sure to scrape the sides and bottom to prevent burning. Stir constantly until the mixture boils, then continues to bubble and thicken until it reaches the hard ball stage (about 240-245 degrees F on a candy thermometer). Have patience, this will take a little while! Be really careful so it doesn’t burn!
I don’t have a candy thermometer, so I did it the old fashioned way. Drop a spoonful of hot caramel sauce into a cup of ice water and mold it with your fingers into a ball. When ready it will feel pretty firm and pliable, but still slightly sticky.
Pour the caramel into the prepared pan and allow it to set up for at least 2 hours, or until you can cut it. Then cut it into squares. You can wrap each individual square in wax paper or store the caramels in an airtight container, so they are not touching each other, with layers of wax paper in between.
Pecan Balls (makes about 24)
1 1/2 c. chopped pecans (divided) *toasted according to instructions below
1/2 c. salted butter
3/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. Karo® Syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. crushed buttery round baked crackers
1/2 c. toffee bits
10-12 oz. good melting chocolate
Directions: First, toast the pecans. Spread them out on a cookie sheet and place them in a 350 degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes.
Next, stir together butter, sugar, and Karo® Syrup over the stove top on medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Remove it from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Next, stir in 1 c. of the toasted, chopped pecans, the crushed buttery round baked crackers, and toffee bits until moistened.
Allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes, then scoop it by the Tablespoonful into balls and place them on a cookie sheet that’s been sprayed with nonstick baking spray or lined with a nonstick baking mat. After they are cool enough to touch, but while still warm, place each ball into your hand and roll it around to make it nice and round. Let them sit at room temperature until completely cool.
Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave, in 30 second increments, stirring in between. Use a fork to add the pecan balls to the chocolate, one at a time, and roll them around to coat. Tap the fork on the edge of the bowl lightly to remove excess chocolate from the ball, then place it on a cookie sheet. Immediately sprinkle a few chopped, toasted pecans on top of the chocolate, then allow the chocolate balls to set up completely. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to serve.
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