Equipment: Measuring cup, measuring spoons, baking sheet with sides, 2 2 1/2-qt. Saucepan, whisk, metal spoon, cook's knife, cutting board, 2-qt. Plastic container w/ lid, electric mixer with paddle, rubber spatula, instant-read test thermometer, 2 stainless steel bowls (1 large), ice cream freezer

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Toast the pecan halves on a baking sheet in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Combine 1 1/4 cups of sugar and the lemon juice in a 2 1/2-qt saucepan. Stir with a whisk to combine (the sugar will resemble moist sand). Caramelize the sugar for 8 to 10 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a whisk to break up any lumps (the sugar will first turn clear as it liquefies, then light brown as it caramelizes). Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Add the unsweetened chocolate and stir gently to blend. Pour the chocolate-caramel mixture over the pecans and stir with a spoon to completely coat the pecans with the chocolate caramel; spread the mixture evenly over the bottom of the baking sheet. Freeze the chocolate pecan crunch for 20 minutes. Remove from the freezer. Chop the chocolate pecan crunch into 1/4" pieces. Store in a sealed plastic container in the freezer until needed.

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