What's the Deal: Make your own gourmet candy

You can easily make your own candy! And we're not talking just any candy. This is gourmet candy!

Annie Rupani with Cacao and Cardamom shares a few easy recipes.

Instead of spending a lot of money on caramel turtles and other sweet treats, do it yourself!

To get more deals just like this be sure to watch Deals every Saturday on the Live Well Network at 8am.

TURTLES

• 1 1/2 cup butter
• 3 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cup corn syrup, light
• 1 1/2 condensed milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 lb pecans
• 1 lb cashews
• 1/2 lb chocolate

Directions

1. In a saucepan, first melt the butter.
2. Then incorporate the sugar, still until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Then add corn syrup, followed by condensed milk.
4. Continuing stirring over medium heat until around 245 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Remove from heat and add vanilla, set aside.
6. While the caramel cools, arrange the pecans and cashews in the shape of a turtle, with about five nuts per cluster.
7. Use a spoon to pour the caramel on the nut clusters.
8. Melt the chocolate and pour the chocolate on top of the caramel.

MENDIANTS

• 1 lb of chocolate of your choice
• Nuts (cashews, hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds, macadamia nuts, etc.)
• Dried Fruit (apricots, cranberries, sour cherries, figs, etc.)
• Other (crystallized ginger, rose petals, fluer de sel, etc.)

Directions

1. Pipe chocolate on parchment paper in circles.
2. Use any toppings, fruits, and nuts you have laying around the house and create designs and combination on the chocolate discs.

COFFEE, CARDAMOM AND ORANGE CARAMEL LOLLIPOPS

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup cream
• 3 oz. dark chocolate
• 2 oz. milk chocolate
• 1 cup ground coffee
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• orange zest
• additional chocolate for dipping
• lollipop sticks

Directions

1. Lightly heat up the cream with vanilla.
2. Place sugar in a medium size pot with a very small amount of water, just to make it the consistency of wet sand.
3. Cook without stirring until the sugar turns into a dark amber caramel.
4. Then pour the hot cream into the caramel little by little.
5. Bring the caramel mixture to a boil and cook to about 240 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Pour onto the chopped chocolate, add butter and vigorously mix until shiny texture.
7. Add coffee, orange zest, and cardamom and immediately pour in a baking pan, let harden for 3 hours in the refrigerator.
8. Cut circles with a cutter (or pillbox container) and stick in lollipop sticks.
9. Melt chocolate and dip lollipops in to coat and decorate with spices and nuts.

LEMONGRASS/COCONUT TRUFFLES

• 6 1/4 oz milk chocolate, chopped
• 3 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons coconut milk
• 1 thick stalk fresh lemongrass
• 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
• 1 ½teaspoons salted butter, soft but not melted
• extra chocolate for coating of truffles
• shredded coconut
• sprinkles
• nuts
• confectioner's sugar
• cocoa powder

Directions

1. Combine heavy cream, coconut milk, lemongrass, in a saucepan and boil. Take the pot off the heat, cover and steep for 15 minutes.
2. Place the saucepan back on the stove and add the corn syrup. Cook over medium-high heat and once the mixture reaches a rolling boil, pour through a fine mesh sieve directly over the chocolate.
3. Let the cream and chocolate sit for a minute and then slowly incorporate all the ingredients working from the center outwards.
4. Once the ganache has cooled to around 95 degrees Fahrenheit, add the butter and stir well.
5. Let the ganache sit for about an hour till it becomes firm enough to scoop into round balls.
6. To finish the truffles off, roll each truffle in some chocolate and coat with shredded coconut, or any other toppings you please!

Special thanks to Annie Rupani, owner of Cacao and Cardamon. For more information visit cacaoandcardamom.com.

Find Deals on Facebook at DealsTV or on Twitter at @Deals_TV