Dipped Pretzels

It is snowing outside tonight. This weather makes me want to snuggle under my blanket, turn the fireplace on, and break out the cocoa machine! Which, as I look around I am actually snuggled under my favorite blanket, with the fireplace on - and I am thinking miniature marshmallows and chocolate....

Last Friday I demonstrated how to dip pretzels. It it very simple, but very time consuming. I intended to get up early, dip the pretzels and get on with the rest of my day. At 5:45, (I was supposed to be there at 6:00) I was still dipping pretzels... Of course, my kids were there - bailing me out - once again! They are always by my side, getting me through! I am sure they wish I would stop thinking 'I can do that' because in reality 'I can do that, with their help!'

Anyway... here is a quick demo on dipping pretzels!
(First you need to make your gooey homemade caramel)

Homemade Caramels

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 cups white sugar

2 cubes butter

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups light karo syrup

Mix ingredients together. Cook, stirring constantly until candy reaches 234 degrees on candy thermometer, or soft ball.

Be patient and stir stir stir! It takes a good 15 minutes to get there

As soon as it reaches the soft ball stage, immediately take off heat and stir in 3/4 tsp vanilla.

For pretzels you are going to use the caramel right out of the pan. If you want to wrap caramels you would pour this into a greased 9x13 pan and wait until cooled completely before cutting and wrapping)

There is a shortcut... if you do not want to make caramel - you can buy this and heat it in the microwave.

You can buy this at Funfinity in Orem. I also buy the pretzels and chocolate there too.

Now we are ready to dip the pretzels

Coat the pretzel stick an leave about one inch uncovered at the top. 

Place on either waxed paper, or non-stick aluminum foil.

This is important - learn from my mistakes!

Melt the milk chocolate and white chocolate morsels in separate bowls

Once the caramel has cooled you are ready to dip caramel pretzel rods in the chocolate.

The great thing about dipped pretzels is that there are no rules. Anything you can imagine - try!

You can roll in nuts, crushed oreos, coconut, m&m's, toffee bits ....

whatever sounds good to you!

After you have dipped all the pretzels in the chocolate - and they are cooled - you can make them pretty

To drizzle:

After the chocolate has cooled, take a small spoon with a little bit of chocolate and just kind of flick it over the pretzels. It is so easy and I love how they look.

Great for gifts! Yummy to eat!