Turtle Pretzels

By ezunich

Ingredients

• 1 (14 oz pkg) vanilla caramels (about 48)
• 1 tbs water
• 15-20 large pretzel twists
• 4 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 tsp shortening
• chopped pecans, sniped dried cranberries or dried blueberries or miniature candy-coated semisweet chocolate pieces

Details

Servings 15

Preparation

Step 1

1. Lightly butter a large cookie sheet; set aside. In a small saucepan combine unwrapped caramels and 1 tablespoon water. Cook and stir over low heat until caramels are just melted and smooth. Remove from heat.

2. Dip the top portion of pretzel twists or three-fourths of each pretzel rod into the caramel mixture, tilting pan as necessary to help coat each pretzel. Let excess caramel drip off of pretzels. Place pretzels on prepared cookie sheet. (If caramel mixture is running off of pretzels onto the cookie sheet, wait a few minutes before dipping remaining pretzels. The caramel mixture will cool slightly and thicken a bit, clinging to pretzels better.) Cool until caramel is set.

3. Place chocolate and shortening in another small saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate is just melted and smooth. Cool slightly. Spoon melted chocolate mixture into a small plastic bag. Use scissors to snip a small hole in one corner of the bag. Drizzle chocolate from the bag onto pretzels, forming decorative lines. Sprinkle with nuts, dried fruit, or chocolate pieces. Chill pretzels in refrigerator for about
20 minutes or until chocdate is firm. Transfer to waxed paper or cellophane bags.