Chocolate Covered Pretzels-Need help

[minnie1012]

Hi I wanted to make chocolate covered pretzels for my daughter's birthday but I can never seem to get them right! I was wondering if someone could help me?? I want to then dip them in sprinkles, M&M's etc. I can't get the items to stick and the chocolate just never seems to work right for me! Am I using the wrong chocolate, wrong pretzels, are there tips or tricks?


Thanks!

 

[Ceila]

Thanks to a friend of mine who gave me these directions, I did this for the first time last Christmas. They were a hit!

I used Utz pretzels, kind of medium sized. For melting chocolate, get the stuff from A. C. Moore if you can. It melts very nicely. Put the chocolate in a large crock-pot on low, and stir, stir, stir. Once the chocolate is melted, use tongs to dip the pretzels. As you take each one out, lay it on wax paper and, using a spoon, sprinkle the toppings over them (this is a good thing to let the kids help with).

 

[famofsix]

I make them with my preschool class every year...

we use pretzel logs, chocolate "wafers" (they look like circles and I buy them in the grocery bulk section)....dip in melted chocolate, then roll the pretzels in sprinkles ...

we use a crock pot on low to dip the pretzels...

 

[lizabu]

like they said....use the coating chocolate. You can buy it at a craft store or bulk food store

 

[skuttle]

I alway use almond bark when I'm going to be dipping something. You can find it at almost any grocery store in the baking section.

 

[lovesmurfs]

My DS and I made 300 pretzel rods for student council this December. We used chocolate chips, but melted it with butter-flavor shortening.

http://candy.about.com/od/chocolate/r/dipped_pretzels.htm

Edited to add that we did use a crockpot, but transferred the melted chocolate into a tall drinking glass for dipping. We were able to dip easily doing it that way.

 

[3boymthr]

When adding the sprinkles/m&ms I find it helps to gently press the extras in to the chocolate with the back of the spoon. Also I find that that they come away more cleanly if I allow them to cool on wax paper as opposed to parchment and tap any excess chocolate back into the pot before placing them on the wax paper to cool.

I don't use a crock pot, as mine is just too large for the amount of chocolate I want to use/make, rather I use a double boiler. I bring the water to a boil in the sauce pan on high, then turn the temp to low, the add the double boiler section, then add the chocolate - when the chocolate turns glossy/shiny it's ready to stir and dip. I find if using this method that it's best to make sure that everything is absolutely, positively 100% dry and I stir the chocolate as little as possible to avoid any streaking from steam getting in the chocolate.

I use Dove Chocolate as it has a better taste and I don't like the idea of my kids eating wax but if it's hot out then I find it does not re-harden as well as the melting chocolate.

 

[minnie1012]

I have always melted in the microwave I wonder if that was the problem? I noticed everyone has done a crockpot or double broiler?

 

[3boymthr]

I have always melted in the microwave I wonder if that was the problem? I noticed everyone has done a crockpot or double broiler?

Using a microwave can be a problem as the chocolate does not heat evenly and you can end up with burnt spots and spots where the chocolate is not melted plus the chocolate cooling and hardening as soon as you take it out of the microwave and you need to keep it hot and melted. I learned to make chocolates from a woman who made chocolates for a store and she always said that whatever you did don't use a microwave.

 

[famofsix]

I find the microwave is harder to maintain the constistency of the chocolate and it can harden before you are done dipping...for a small amount it is probably not a big deal. I use a double broiler at home. The crock pot is easier in my classroom since I don't have access to a stove and that would be out of the questions for preschoolers anyway.

When I make peanut butter balls (buckeyes) I use chocolate chips and then I add a small amount of wax to it to help it harden.

I have also used chocolate icing melted but it was messy and didn't taste as good

 

[MrsPete]

I always use a double boiler. Chocolate is tricky. You must go slowly: If you allow the chocolate to get too hot, it'll look "dry", you're done -- that chocolate is ruined. You can go from "almost there" to "ruined" in seconds; I said, it's tricky. The microwave is bad for burning.

If I'm using chocolate chips (or similar), I add wax or a bit of vegetable oil. Again, go slowly: Add a bit, stir and wait, add a bit, stir and wait. You can always add one more drop, but you can't take a drop out. Don't worry about eating wax: If you eat commercial candy, you eat wax.

The Wilton wafers sold at AC Moore (and similar) are easier than real chocolate, but they're not as tasty. They have chocolate flavor, peanut butter flavor, and vanilla flavor (in multiple colors). These are GREAT for a beginner.

Pretzel rods are, in my opinion, the easiest because you've got a built-in handle. If you're using smaller items, look for the Wilton dipper set (less than $5 in the cake decorating section of craft stores). Three pieces of plastic designed for dipping -- better than the fork I used to use.

Finally, if you're having trouble getting things to stick . . . you need to add the wax or vegetable oil to make your chocolate "softer", and you need to go straight from the chocolate to the enhancement item -- you have to move fast to do this type of work! I like to put my sprinkles, chopped nuts, etc. on waxed paper, which allows me to lift the edges and bring everything together in the middle -- and allows me to press the good stuff onto the wet chocolate.

 

[minnie1012]

I always use a double boiler. Chocolate is tricky. You must go slowly: If you allow the chocolate to get too hot, it'll look "dry", you're done -- that chocolate is ruined. You can go from "almost there" to "ruined" in seconds; I said, it's tricky. The microwave is bad for burning.

If I'm using chocolate chips (or similar), I add wax or a bit of vegetable oil. Again, go slowly: Add a bit, stir and wait, add a bit, stir and wait. You can always add one more drop, but you can't take a drop out. Don't worry about eating wax: If you eat commercial candy, you eat wax.

The Wilton wafers sold at AC Moore (and similar) are easier than real chocolate, but they're not as tasty. They have chocolate flavor, peanut butter flavor, and vanilla flavor (in multiple colors). These are GREAT for a beginner.

Pretzel rods are, in my opinion, the easiest because you've got a built-in handle. If you're using smaller items, look for the Wilton dipper set (less than $5 in the cake decorating section of craft stores). Three pieces of plastic designed for dipping -- better than the fork I used to use.

Finally, if you're having trouble getting things to stick . . . you need to add the wax or vegetable oil to make your chocolate "softer", and you need to go straight from the chocolate to the enhancement item -- you have to move fast to do this type of work! I like to put my sprinkles, chopped nuts, etc. on waxed paper, which allows me to lift the edges and bring everything together in the middle -- and allows me to press the good stuff onto the wet chocolate.

Thanks for being so specific, that really helps, thanks!

 

[monorailsilver]

I make them alot too.

I used to use Dove milk chocolate like a pp does but my ds has a dairy allergy so I had to switch. I now use Ghiradelli semi sweet.

I do the double boiler method as well. I don't add anything to the chocolate & I have never had a problem-by adding I mean butter/shortening.

I use pretzel rods but recently I started breaking them in half because at a party where there is alot of junk food do the kids (and adults) really need the big pretzels?

I put my shots/jimmies or whatever you call them on wax paper & then I dip my rod in the chocolate but I use the back of a spoon to spread my chocolate onto the rod since I don't have a deep pot, my friend uses a grill brush but that doesn't work for me. Then I dip the coated pretzel in the pile of shots in wax paper & twirl it & set it on parchment paper to dry.

If I am doing the long pretzel rods, I put them in my popcorn container from WDW.

 

[SLK1]

Just another take on chocolate pretzels (yum...sweet and salty!):

Take a pretzel "snap" (they're square, with grid-like lines on them) or a mini-pretzel, put a chocolate "Melt" on it (sold at stores like Michael's - they come in a variety of colors and are made by Wilton). Put these on a wax paper lined cookie sheet and bake at 250 for about 3 minutes. When you take them out, add an M&M and press it into the chocolate. Let them cool before eating.

What's nice about this is that you can color coordinate the Melts and the M&M's...like for the Super Bowl, you can use a team's colors. Or at Christmas I use red and green combo.

Just an idea. It's sometimes easier than melting other chocolates and dipping regular pretzels.

 

[disfan07]

I use rold gold pretzels becaues they are the only ones that are safe for me (peanut allergy).

I use guitard milk chocolate and whole foods 365 dark and white chocolate.

I do sprinkles and just a second layer of decorative chocolate in a different flavor (so milk w/dark or white, dark w/milk or white, etc).

I just melt the chocolate in the microwave, dip the pretzels in using a fork, decorate and refrigerate.

I have never had any problems with uneveness in melting the chocolate, sprinkles not sticking, etc.

I always get compliments and requests for all of the chocolates that I make (pretzels, starwberries, truffles) etc. so using the microwave has not been an issue for me but obviously YMMV.