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Easy DIY Valentine's Gift Idea: Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Rods

Posted by Claire | Tuesday January 31, 201224 comments

Helping your kids come up with a fun Valentine's gift that doesn't involve a cheesy mug is hard.  So instead, we roll with it by filling those mugs with delicious and infinitely adaptable chocolate-dipped pretzel rods.

Because if there's anything better than a mug of coffee with chocolatey pretzels on the side, well... I seriously doubt it.

Ingredients

Pretzel Rods
Chocolate chips (any flavour; can also use baker's chocolate)
Oil or Shortening
Sprinkles



Add 1/4 cup of chocolate chips plus 1/4 tsp of oil or shortening to a microwave safe dish (I used a coffee mug).  The oil helps the chocolate hold its melted form a little longer so you won't have to reheat.  Melt your chocolate at 50% power for 30 seconds at a time in your microwave, remembering to stir between each interval.

Take care not to over cook your chocolate (#oopsididitagain).  It turns into a baked fudge-like consistency that cannot be remelted.  If you do this, smear some of your fudge on a Triscuit cracker and serve to your family as fancy appetizers, ideally with a made-up french name to cover the fact that you made a mistake.

"What, you've never heard of Craquelins du Chocolat?  Oh, they're the latest thing..."

Les Craquelins du Chocolat - magnifique!


So now that the boo boos are out of the way and you've prepped your second batch of chocolate properly this time, use a spoon to smear several inches of your pretzel rod in chocolate.  Then immediately roll in sprinkles or pour over to coat (pictured above). 


Rolling in sprinkles will make the candy coating thicker (at left).  Set aside to dry on a wax or parchment lined container.  It should only take a few minutes for the chocolate to harden.


Feel free to leave some of the pretzel rods plain.  I achieved this striping effect by holding the back of the spoon against the top of the chocolate dip (i.e. in the middle of the rod), then rotating the rod while slowly pushing the spoon downward to the tip.


I made a second batch of melted white chocolate in the same way as described above, then used a spoon to drizzle over the semi-sweet chocolate layer.


Presentation time!  Make a pretzel rod bouquet using your dipped sticks, embellishing with flowers or any other seasonal decoration of your choice.

C'est tout!
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24 Comments

on February 01, 2012  takoda  28,648 said:


These look so good and easy enough to make. They would be good for kids party's as well.

on January 31, 2012  Patricia  6,845 said:

Very cute idea! I like that you pointed out what could go wrong and to do with the "ruined" chocolate! :)

on January 31, 2012  Lorna Q  135 said:

These look so delicious and easy to make! Great idea! :D

on January 31, 2012  Becky  13,128 said:

chocolate & wasabi peas....? sounds good ..but how exactly? i feel another article idea coming on!! ;-)

on January 31, 2012  Becky  13,128 said:

wow these look tres delicieux!!! :-)

on January 31, 2012  mamaluv  STAFF said:

CHOCOLATE AND WASABI PEAS! Yes please :)

on January 31, 2012  AlexJC  50 said:

I'm definitely eyeing those milk and white chocolate pretzels. I'm a big fan of salt and sweet together, so much so that I actually come up with crazy weird combinations (i.e. Pringles and chocolate anyone?) And..... here is the weirdest one: chocolate and wasabi peas. Yup- I am a food freak haha!

on January 31, 2012  mamaluv  STAFF said:

@Bren: Sweet salty is my fave too!

on January 31, 2012  mamaluv  STAFF said:

@Cathy - yes! You could totally use these for any holiday or special occasion by switching up the types of chocolate, sprinkles, and presentation.

on January 31, 2012  Bren  25,851 said:

CUTE!I love sweet and salty tastes together.

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