Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Pretzels
My tree is trimmed. My lights are hung. There’s no snow outside, cost but it’s definitely time for Christmas treats. Chocolate-covered pretzels are one of my favorite snacks, stuff no matter the time of year. I love the salty sweet combination, obesity the rich chocolatey flavor and the texture of the pretzels when they crunch in your mouth. They’re the perfect sweet treat for someone who’s not really a sweet tooth.
To make them a little more festive, I also sprinkled them with crushed candy canes and sparkly clear sprinkles. The result is a cross between peppermint bark and chocolate-covered pretzels. Absolutely delicious. This recipe, along with a couple of others that I’ll post soon, are going to become pretty little Christmas presents. There’s no better way to spread holiday cheer than with a chocolate peppermint treat.
Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Pretzels
2 cups salted pretzels (I used mini-pretzels because they hold the chocolate and candy canes better)
8 oz. dark chocolate chips
2 candy canes
1 tbsp. clear, shiny sprinkles
Special equipment: chopsticks
Crush the candy canes by placing them in a plastic bag and beating them with a rolling pin. This is actually really fun — go ahead and get your aggression out. Place the crushed canes in a small bowl and mix with the sprinkles. Set aside.
Set up a double boiler by filling a medium saucepan halfway with water. Bring to a simmering boil at medium-high heat and place a metal bowl over the rim of the sauce pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add your chocolate chips to the bowl and watch them melt.
While the chocolate melts, place a large sheet of parchment or plastic wrap as close to the saucepan as you can. Once your chocolate is fully melted, it’s time to make your pretzels.
One by one, drop the pretzels into the melted chocolate, then use your chopsticks to fish them out. Using chopsticks allows each pretzel to stay completely coated and pretty while you transfer them to the prepared parchment.
As you place each pretzel on the parchment, sprinkle with a pinch of the crushed candy canes. Make sure to place each pretzel far enough away from it’s neighbor so that they won’t be attached when the chocolate cools. Keep going until you’ve covered each pretzel. Let the pretzels set completely in a cool, undisturbed environment. This usually takes 2 – 3 hours.
If you’ve got leftover melted chocolate, pour it over ice cream immediately and enjoy. Or let it cool a bit and let your kids (or husband) lick it out of the bowl.
Makes about 2 cups of pretzels.