Sprinkle Pretzels

Chocolate-covered pretzels are a treat that my mom makes each Christmas (along with chocolate and peanut butter fudge...yum!).  I think they're the perfect snack because they're salty and sweet, all in one bite.  I made some before Christmas but they were gone too quickly this year.  This afternoon I went to Amy's place for a party and didn't want to arrive empty-handed.  These little snacks were quick and easy to whip up before heading over to the shindig.  (That's a word that should really be used more often!)

To begin, you'll need:
-aluminum foil
-almond bark (white or regular, your choice)
-pretzels
-sprinkles (optional)
-a microwave, plus a microwave-safe bowl and a fork

First, lay cover your work space/countertop with foil:

Next, break up your almond bark and put it in the microwave-safe bowl:

Microwave it for 45 seconds to one minute.  When you take it out of the microwave it will probably look like this:

Poke it with the fork and stir it around.  Microwave it again for another 30 to 45 seconds and then give it another stir:

See how it's starting to melt?  Continue the melt and stir routine until it's lump-free, like this:

Move it back over to your prepared work space and get out your pretzels.  Drop a handful of pretzels directly into the chocolate:

 

Aren't these pretzels cute?  I got them at Aldi just before Christmas.  I'm not sure if it was a holiday thing or a regular item but they were just the right size for my fork.  I can also tell you that star-shaped pretzels work well, too! 

 

Using your fork coat a pretzel in the chocolate and transfer it to the foil.  Repeat this process with the rest of your handful of pretzels. 

If you choose to add sprinkles you'll want to pause the dipping and begin the sprinkling.  Adam's favorite version is regular chocolate without sprinkles.  My favorite version is white chocolate with sprinkles.  I made his kind last time so this time those pretzels were getting sprinkled!

You'll want to top them at this point because the coating hardens quickly.  In order for them to stick in the coating it's important that you do it as you go rather than at the end.  Trust me when I say to do it this way because otherwise you'll be chasing little colorful sugar balls all over your kitchen!

Repeat the process until you've run out of either pretzels or chocolate.  You'll either want to wash your bowl immediately or heat it up again later on to get all of the chocolate off (it returns to its original hardened state if left unattended). 

These can be customized for any holiday or event (parties, weddings, baby showers, etc.).  I just used Christmas colors because I had a HUGE container of red, white, and green sprinkles--you can see it in the picture above.  I limit myself to making these only at Christmas time because a) it's tradition and b) we have no self-control when it comes to eating them.  They don't last long!

Enjoy!
Adi