Turtles and I go way back. As a little girl, turtles were the ultimate treat—milky chocolate, sweet and gooey caramel, and crunchy pecans—the absolute, perfect combination. My dad used to gift my sister and I a box on special occasions, and I always remember trying to make them last as long as possible. As you probably guessed, it never worked. Plus, I'm sure my mom used to sneak in and eat a few when we weren't looking, but can you blame her? <br /> <br />I'm a little older now, and I seem to have lost my childhood sweet tooth. I'm not the biggest candy consumer anymore, and I like my chocolate extra dark, but I just couldn't resist idea of one sophisticated dark chocolate turtle. I had to make a few batches to get the quantities just right. More than 45 little turtles seemed to disappear in no time, and to be completely honest, I totally hid a few to savor all on my own—like mother like daughter, I guess! <br /> <br />This homemade version is just a little more grown up. The gooey, naturally sweet medjool date caramel is good enough to eat with a spoon, and flaky fleur de sel tops things off with that beloved salty-sweet finish. The chocolates come together with minimal effort and just a bit of wait time while they set in the fridge. These would make a great gift for special occasions or a sweet after-dinner treat for anyone who loves turtles—and who doesn't? The recipe below makes 15 two-bite-sized chocolates—and they're vegan to boot!

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