Chocolate Covered Pretzels and Reindeer Cookies

Holy, melted chocolate! I have been melting and dipping pretzels today! As soon as my little ones went to bed at naptime, I opened up a Chocolatier in my kitchen and began working like one of Santa's little elves. The objective: to make chocolate covered pretzels for this ultra cute reindeer cookie recipe I found via Baker Girl . Stop in and check out her huge array of recipes and inspirations. Seriously getting a toothache just reading them, but boy, do they all look SCRUMP!

My first batch of reindeer cookies

So it has been a tiny bit of an adventure to get to these chocolate covered pretzels. I had no idea that tracking some down would be such a challenge. I'm from the U.S. and chocolate and pretzel just go together. It is a no brainer--salty and sweet..uuuuh...YES!! When I saw Baker Girl's recipe I figured I'd just swing by my local grocer and pick a bag up...uuuuuh, not that easy. Apparently they don't just grow on trees in Australia. I did find a dinky bag of gluten-free pretzels, which suits my diet but I needed a lot and I wasn't going to pay the outrageous price for a teeny, tiny bag, in which I probably would have needed five bags! I asked the shopkeeper if they had regular chocolate covered pretzels and she gave me a perplexed look....Okay, guess that is a NO...I even went to a chocolate candy shop, to see if they had some. Afterall, they had choc covered raisins. The lady behind the counter asked me several times to repeat my request. I even had to explain to her what they were!?....Okay...They are chocolate covered pretzels. In other words, pretzels covered with chocolate!...Ohhhhhhh, the lady said... I guess THAT explained it better!....No, she said and she had never heard of them. She was quite intrigued though so don't be surprised if Darryl Lea begins stocking them! hehe.

So everywhere I went and asked no one had them. Several people swore they have seen them around SOMEWHERE, but no one could deliver a location. So, out of hope for the easy road, I sent my hubby to the shop one night to pick up some chocolate and pretzels. This is where I should remind you all NOT to make my mistake. Always be specific when asking your husband for something. He returned with everything I needed, but I really needed some mini size pretzels. Instead, he returned with the normal ones, which are giant in terms or reindeer cookie antlers! I couldn't make Baker Girl's cute little reindeers, I had to make the Goliath reindeer! They still came out cute, just in a sort of gigantic way!

So if you want to have a go at making your own pretzels, it is super duper easy. Here is what you need:

Pretzels (the smaller the better for these cookies)
Melting Chocolate, dark or milk
Microwave-safe bowl
Fork
Baking paper

Tear off a few sheets of baking paper and lay them on the countertop so they are ready for use.

To get started, put about a cup (depending on how much you need, alter the amount) of
the chocolate into the microwave-safe bowl. Warm in the microwave for 40 seconds or so, depending on the power of your microwave. You want to MELT the chocolate, NOT COOK it! Watch it the whole time to make sure that it doesn't melt too much. I take it out after 40 seconds and give it a stir with the fork. If it is warm, the morsels will begin to melt as you are stirring. If this is happening keep stirring to see if melting still occurs. If you've stirred for 30 seconds and nothing is melting further then heat for a bit longer. Keep a close eye on it. Trust me, if chocolate burns it is a horrible smell. No one likes the taste of burnt chocolate either!

Once the chocolate is melted, you are ready to begin dipping. Do this next to your baking paper as you'll transfer the pretzels straight to them. Place a pretzel in the chocolate and slightly push it down to cover the first side. It should be submerged to cover just halfway. Using a fork, flip it over onto the opposite side. Next carefully pick it up using the fork. I find scooping the pretzel through the very bottom loop is best; so the pretzlel is dangling upside down from the fork. Give it a gentle shake so the excess chocolate will drip off. Carefully lay it on the baking paper to cool and harden. Repeat until finished. It is that easy! Just remember to space them apart on the sheets. You don't want them sticking together. These can be stored in an airtight container when finished.

Here is how our finished product turned out. Not too bad for the first time and it gets easier the more you do. My first one wasn't that great but I got the hang of it quickly. I forgot how much I love to work with melted chocolate, too. I find it so relaxing and meditative. Perhaps I worked at a Chocolatier in a past life because I just love it!

So I stuck these babies on our reindeer cookies. Like I said, mine were a lot larger than the mini cookies. The stil came out cute, but definitely could share this reindeer with a friend. In fact, I shared one with my little boy, who woke up from his nap and helped me with the finishing touches. He in turn shared these with his little friends as well...

sharing with Numbi, the numbat and Polly, the possom

Notice how Numbi gets a BIG piece and Polly a little crumb--you have to squint to see it on the right! Poor possom! ha.

Then my little tot shouted out that he made Australia!..and then added Tasmania as well!

So there ya have it. My little baking adventure for the day. Well, I also made some yummy osso buco as well, but that's for another day. It was delicious, though and my son gobbled it up which is ALWAYS a plus...Happy baking!