? About Making Chocolate Covered Pretzels and Other Candy

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

DW Lauri wanted to make some chocolate covered pretzels and cookies for Christmas presents this year. We usually buy a big block of Ghiradelli chocolate made for dipping from Sam's Club but we waited too long this year and it's sold out.

What other chocolates have you used? I have heard that you can use chocolate chips but you have to worry about tempering the chocolate or it won't come out right and the candy will be hazy.

We saw where people use Wilton's Candy Melts but we were worried that they might be "cheap" tasting - you know, like the big old chocolate Easter rabbits that weigh 5 pounds but only cost $2.99?

Any suggestions or past experiences? TIA

 

[dhcoffey]

We actually use Baker's chocolate in the candy aisle. It comes in little tubs and it's it little chip form inside the tub and it's made to melt in the microwave. We've used it to make chocolate covered strawberries, very good. I didn't find it cheap tasting. I know what you meant by that.

HTH.

 

[stinkerbelle's mom]

Here is an easy recipe that I use.

Pretzel wheels
Hershey Hugs (preferable) or kisses
plain M & M's

Put the pretzel wheels on a baking tray. Put 1 Hug or Kiss on each & place in a preheated oven (about 300-350) for about 10-15 seconds, long enough for the chocolate to be soft, but not melted.

Take the pretzels out of the oven & place 1 m&m on each Hug or Kiss pushing it down, but not through the pretzel hole. I usually place them in the refridgerator or freezer to set the chocolate. Very easy & very festive. You can change looks for the seasons with the m & m's.

 

[Poohnatic]

Matt,

We temper the cheap stuff (well, the nestle or the hershey chips) with part of a Scharffenberger block o chocolate. Expensive? Oh yeah, but the net cost is less than what you would have paid for the Ghiradelli.

If you've got a Williams Sonoma nearby, they've got the blocks (9 bucks for 4 oz-but I'd only use 1 oz per bag of the chips). If not, check out Scharffenberger's website for a food store nearby that carries it.

Yum. Now I have to go buy some blocks.

Suzanne

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Matt,

We temper the cheap stuff (well, the nestle or the hershey chips) with part of a Scharffenberger block o chocolate. Expensive? Oh yeah, but the net cost is less than what you would have paid for the Ghiradelli.

If you've got a Williams Sonoma nearby, they've got the blocks (9 bucks for 4 oz-but I'd only use 1 oz per bag of the chips). If not, check out Scharffenberger's website for a food store nearby that carries it.

Yum. Now I have to go buy some blocks.

Suzanne

Dang, $9 for 4oz? It would be cheaper to dip in Godiva!

Seriously though, I have also read about some people adding parafin (sp?) wax to their chocolate chips when they melt them to help with the tempering. What the heck is that and where would one aquire such a wax? Surely its not the same and chiseling out a chunk of a Yankee Candle. Hey, they do make a chocolate scent one, don't they?

Oh the things you get when Lauri asks me to find information for her.

 

[Blondy876]

Seriously though, I have also read about some people adding parafin (sp?) wax to their chocolate chips when they melt them to help with the tempering. What the heck is that and where would one aquire such a wax? Surely its not the same and chiseling out a chunk of a Yankee Candle. Hey, they do make a chocolate scent one, don't they?

Oh the things you get when Lauri asks me to find information for her.

You should be able to find the wax in the same place where you would buy the Wilton melting choc. peices. I have used Wilton and it tastes OK, not bad but not Ghiradelli.

 

[Aidensmom]

I've used the Wiltons, and it tastes fine to me.

The Bakers in the microwave cup is GREAT though. Tastes very good, great consistency, easy cleanup....we buy that to use to dip fruits in sometimes for snacks because it is so easy to use.

 

[maroney495]

I make by dipping chocolate with chocolate chips and paraffin wax. You can buy the wax at the grocery store usually with the canning supplies. My store has it on the same aisle with the Jello and puddings. I use two 12 oz bags of chips(just be sure that are "real" chocolate chips and not the cheap "chocolate flavored" chips) to a half block of wax. Melt in a double boiler and dip whatever you want in it. We make it with the semi sweet chips or the milk chocolate for different tastes.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Thanks for all the input everyone

I'll have her check out the Bakers chocolate that a couple of you have recommended.

I think she was hoping to stick with Ghiradelli chocolate by using the big jumbo 5 pound or so bag of Ghiradelli chocolate chips they sell at Sam's Club (Until we go to buy it and find it sold out like what happened to the Ghiradelli dipping chocolate blocks - but I digress)

I have been searching the net while asking you guys and found on a site called "baking911" that you don't have to temper chocolate chips but on another site which the name escapes me at this moment says you do. I don't know who to trust! So going with the Bakers stuff sounds like it might be a good alternative. Wonder how many of those things we would need to equal 4 of those big Ghiradelli things though. Thats how much she usually goes through making stuff for all her "work" people (truck drivers, service people, etc) Please tell me they aren't expensive

Oh, and Stinkerbelle's Mom.. thanks for that recipe! I bet she will love that one - easy and sounds cute! Got anything for cookies, marshmallows and popcorn covered in chocolate too?

 

[aprilgail2]

Wilton and merkens, etc.. melting wafer things are not real chocolate and they sure taste as cheap as they are. I work for a chocolate company and we use good chocolate, my daughter can't stand the taste of the melting wafers, she won't even eat a pop made out of that anymore. If someone gives them out at a party now she just takes it, says thank you and when she gets in the car she says "I don't really have to eat this do I??"

 

[TurboKitty]

In our stores, they now carry Ghiradelli baking chocolate bars and Ghiradelli 60% cacao bittersweet chips. Look for those as they are heavenly!

I've not tempered chocolate chips, and in fact, melted them in the microwave, and had wonderful results with dipping. Though I do admit, that was with strawberries.

 

[Charade]

My dfi used to have a chocolate store but now makes them at home. She uses Merkens. A little while a go UPS delivered 300 lbs of chocolate!!
She's VERY talented. She makes several kinds of chocolate pretzels.

She melts the chocolate in the microwave then uses electric warming trays to keep it workable.

Here's the website we have to show people pictures of what she makes.

http://home.comcast.net/~klcreativechocolates/

 

[lovetoscrap]

Don't use the Wilton stuff. It will be cheap tasting. It is just not the same.

I have a friend that does lots of this and just melts choc. chips and dips all kinds of things--marshmallos, graham crackers, strawberries, pretzels, oreos etc.. They alway taste just fine to me!!!

I would look for the Bakers chocolate or some of the higher grade Hershey's or even Girradellis in you local store baking aisle.

Good luck!

 

[Aidensmom]

My dfi used to have a chocolate store but now makes them at home. She uses Merkens. A little while a go UPS delivered 300 lbs of chocolate!!
She's VERY talented. She makes several kinds of chocolate pretzels.

She melts the chocolate in the microwave then uses electric warming trays to keep it workable.

Here's the website we have to show people pictures of what she makes.

http://home.comcast.net/~klcreativechocolates/

Wow, she really does an awesome job!

 

[Poohnatic]

Alton Brown had a recipe on his website last year called White Trash that sounded great. If you google it, you'll find several recipes. My thought last year was that I'd use good dark chocolate instead of almond bark.

Suzanne

 

[clh2]

DO you have a candy-making supply store near you, or a cake-decorating supply store anywhere nearby?

The Majestic brand of chocolate coatings are great, and work very well with pretzals!

I was only able to find 1 link for a place that sells it on google.

buy majestic coatings here

 

[Shugardrawers]

Hey Matt--I have 3 40oz Nestles Melting Chocolate bars. They are 1 HUGE bar that breaks into 1 oz sections. They dont work well for my purpose. If you'd like them I have your address still and I'd b happy to ship them off to you Friday or Monday. Just let me know.

 

[Imzadi]

If you're going to use parrafin wax, make sure it is "Food Grade" wax, not the stuff to make candles.

 

[Imzadi]

I'm watching this show on the Food Network right now & they showed this woman who took the simple chocolate covered pretzels she made & after dipping, covered them up with some festive toppings like multi-colored sprinkles, or chopped nuts, or rice crispies, shredded coconut, mini m&m's, then drizzled them with white & dark chocolate, etc. The more colors & variety the better!

It looked sooo easy! You just need enough sprinkles & toppings to lay out in a big wide bowl or cookie sheet to literally bury the chocolate covered pretzels in. They looked so colorful, festive and not your ordinary pretzels.

Here's a link to the woman's website so you can see the finished pretzels:
http://www.pretzables.com/

In between the twisted pretzels, she covered thick pretzel rods, (not the little sticks,) then twisted them into the toppings. She wrapped a few up together into a colorful pretzel rod "bouquet" with a ribbon. It looked yummy!

The show airs again on the Food network again tomorrow at 7PM ET/PT
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_fi/episode/0,1976,FOOD_9962_35681,00.html

 

[Poohnatic]

Matt,

I was in my local Sam's earlier this week and they had bunches of the Ghiradelli that you were looking for. If you haven't had success, let me know and I'll send some up your way.

Based on your rave, I bought a box to use for chocolate fondue and possibly some petit fours. Now, if only I could find the recipe-it was from a newspaper about 15 years ago!

Suzanne