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1
Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper and lightly spray with nonstick spray.
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2
Mound 30 small clusters of pecans, about 3 or 4 pecans each, spaced a couple inches apart on the pan.
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3
Make caramel: Warm the cream over low heat and keep warm while you cook the sugar.
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4
Put the sugar and corn syrup and in a deep, heavy-bottomed large saucepan.
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5
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves.
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6
Stop stirring, raise heat to medium-high, and simmer until the sugar reaches the hard crack stage, or 305 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 7 minutes.
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7
Whisk the butter and salt into the sugar mixture.
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8
Gradually pour in the cream and vanilla taking care since the mixture will bubble up.
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9
Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar reaches soft ball stage, 240 degrees F on the thermometer, about 5 minutes more.
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10
Immediately remove from the heat and cool for a minute.
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11
Ladle a couple tablespoons of warm caramel over some of the nut clusters, to make the spider bodies.
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12
Then press 6 pieces of licorice into the warm caramel to make the legs.
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13
Repeat with the remaining caramel and licorice.
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14
(It's helpful to have an extra hand here, since the caramel can set quickly.
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15
If caramel hardens, warm over very low heat. )
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16
Let spiders cool 15 minutes.
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17
Meanwhile, put the chocolates in a medium heatproof bowl.
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18
Bring a saucepan filled with 1-inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water.
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19
Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth.
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20
(Alternatively, put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl.
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21
Melt at 50 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 1 minute.
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22
Stir, and continue heat until completely melted, 2 to 3 minutes more.)
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23
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of melted chocolate on top of each spider.
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24
Sprinkle with jimmies or chocolate curls, if desired.
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25
Let cool until firm.
