Chocolate Dipped Wonders

Working full time now and going through a divorce, not to mention only having my smartphone to blog with. I really haven't had the time to bake or create. I do want to eventually re-vamp my blog with not just sweets but the occasional recipe and crafts too! Thank you to all of my loyal followers and fans that are sticking it out with me! Things will pick up again!
Here is a favorite from last year: Chocolate Dipped Valentine's Pretzels

 

Thanks to Red Fly Creations for sharing my Dipped Chocolate Valentine Pretzels! Please stop by and visit Red Fly Creations for a Chocolate Dipped Valentine 's Day! 

Easy Halloween Pretzels

As some of you already know, I am back to basics. I have been taking photos and blogging from my smartphone without the kitchen equipment and decorating supplies that I once had. Being back to basics, here is a simple and inexpensive way to make a cute snack for your Halloween table!

Here is all you will need:

Pretzels

Candy Melts

Sprinkles

To make these festive pretzels, start by covering cookie sheet with waxed paper. Melt candy melts in small bowl or coffee cup according to package directions. Dip pretzel into melts, tap off excess candy on side of cup, and place onto waxed paper. Sprinkle each pretzel immediately. Let candy set up in refrigerator for about 10 minutes. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

  

 Happy Halloween!

~Christina

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I link up at these fun parties!

Pretzels in Bloom

I love dipped pretzels, the sweet and saltiness I crave, all in one place. Dipped pretzels are super easy to make too, but these...are easier! These pretzels are made using a Wilton Pretzel Mold. For some reason our Michael's (where I usually shop for Wilton products) has been sold out of all of their pretzel molds. If you can't find them at Michael's, try Party City, that is where I got this pretzel mold.

The purple candy is precolored Wilton Candy Melts. The pink candy is Vanilla Candiquik colored pink with pink Wilton Candy Coloring. Whichever you like to use, melt according to package directions. Put the candy in a piping bag and snip of the end just a very tiny bit to make the dots in the flowers. Let the dots set up a few minutes before piping in the second color. Be sure not to fill the cavities full of the candy as you will need room to press in the pretzel. The pretzel won't be all the way covered. To make them look a little more finished, I zig-zagged candy across the back. Now that the weather is warm, it is easiest to just pop these in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to set up. If they don't unmold easily, they aren't ready to be unmolded, stick them back in the fridge!

These pretzel molds come in many designs and as soon as I find them, I will be adding more to the collection! So just when you think it can't get easier than dipped pretzels, try these molded pretzels...not to be confused with moldy pretzels! Haha!

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I link up at these fun parties!

&

Bunny Hop Easter Link Party

Featured at: Crumbs & Chaos & Serenity You 

Shamrock Pretzels

This is easy idea that you don't even have to get your fingers dirty to create! I first saw this idea over at Miss Candiquik. It was just too cute to not try to create myself, and being me, I wanted to change it up a slightly!

Here is what you need:

mini pretzels

Candiquik

green candy coloring (I used Wilton candy coloring)

creme de menthe candy flavoring (also by Wilton)

On a waxed paper lined cookie sheet, double stack the pretzels and lay out into shamrock shape as shown. Break a pretzel to make the stem, doubling that also. Right now it is a bit of a balancing act, but the hard part is over!

Melt the Vanilla Candiquik according to package direction. It takes about 1 block per shamrock. I counted out my blocks and microwaved it is a microwave safe dish for about 1-1/2 minutes, stirring halfway to check. Add in candy coloring, it does take quite a bit of this, skip the toothpicks and just pour! Add the flavoring, around 5 or 6 drops, again I just poured and guesstimated! Mix and put in disposible piping bag and rubberband shut. Cut the end off of the piping bag and squeeze over pretzels.

The pretzels don't have to be covered all the way down to the waxed paper, just squeeze the Candiquik from the bag onto the stacked pretzels and most will fall into place. The Candiquik in the middle of the shamrock will hold all the leaves together in case the pretzels aren't fully covered down to the waxed paper. Place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator to speed up the "set up" process for around 15 to 20 minutes to be sure.

I really thought these shamrock pretzels would be too sweet, but with the saltiness of the doubled pretzels and the creme de menthe flavoring in the Candiquik, they were just perfect!

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I link up at these fun parties!

  

Link up your St. Patrick's Day Projects at the Luck o' the Irish Link Party!

Featured at: Crumbs and Chaos

St. Patty's Day Quickie! (Pretzels)

We are all working on getting back to good around here, not 100% but getting there! Not everything I make has to take hours and here is a quickie that can be done in minutes depending on how many pretzels you want to make. All you need is pretzels, some type of melting candy, and sprinkles! Melt candy according to package directions, dip pretzels one at a time, sprinkle, and place on waxed paper for the candy to set up!

A colorful and festive YUM!

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I link up at these fun parties!

Featured at: Rook No. 17

Chocolate Dipped Valentine's Pretzels

If you don't know by now, we are all big fans of dipped pretzels around here! I made them for the 4th of July and then again for Halloween. Anytime I see someone post them, I have to comment how great they are! Something about that salty sweet combo that makes these the perfect quick and easy treat!

For directions on how to make dipped pretzels, view my Halloween Dipped Pretzels post!

If you haven't tried them yet, what are you waiting for?

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I link up at these fun parties!  

Featured at:

Tatertots & Jello

Babyberry

A Well-Seasoned Life

Halloween Dipped Pretzels

Looking for something Quick? Easy? Inexpensive?

You got it right here! These can be made for about 10 cents each and I have actually seen these for sale at theme parks for $1.39 each!

To make 19 (that's how many were in the bag) from start to finish, under 30 minutes!

Easy? Oh Yes!

The first time I made these, they were 4th of July themed pretzels. I had almost forgotten all about them until Miss Candiquik posted Halloween Themed Pretzels on her blog! This week has been a whirlwind of craziness and I haven't had much time for baking or decorating up sweet treats and this is perfectly quick! This time, it was even easier with a few changes in my methods. 

Here are some tips on how to make this already quick and easy snack, quicker and easier!

  Here is how to make them 2 ways depending on what you have in the cabinet:

 

The orange pretzels are made with Wilton Candy Melts- to make about 20 pretzels using Wilton Candy Melts, melt about 1-1/2 cups of melts plus 1/2 teaspoon of shortening in a glass bowl for 1 minute, stirring halfway. I use a Pyrex 2 cup size glass bowl and it works perfect!

The white pretzels are made with Candiquik- to make about 20 pretzels using Candiquik, melt 6 blocks in glass bowl for 1 minute, stirring halfway. No shortening needed for this. Again, I used a Pyrex 2 cup size glass bowl.

After your candy is melted:

Hold the pretzel vertically over the bowl and spoon over the melted candy, this is a lot easier than trying to dip. Shake off excess back into bowl. Lay pretzel on waxed paper, immediately placing on sprinkles, like the Wilton Spider and Skulls Sprinkles I used. For something like the nonpareils (the little teenie tiny black and orange balls) or jimmies, I found it easier to put a bowl in the sink and sprinkle the pretzel over the bowl. That way what lands in the bowl can be reused, and what lands in the sink can be rinsed away instead of rolling onto the floor!

The kids love these for after school, but they would also be great for a party, or even a bake sale! I love these candy covered pretzels with the salty and sweet combo! I can definitely say I will make them again and again!

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These Pretzels are Shared at:

Sweet as Sugar Cookies: Sweets for a Saturday

Crumbs and Chaos: Seasonal Inspiration

Serenity You: Serenity Saturdays

Six Sisters' Stuff: Strut Your Stuff Saturday

A Well-Seasoned Life: Sweet Indulgences Sunday

It's a Blog Party: Show Me How

The Southern Institute: Creative Me Monday

Home Savvy A to Z: Savvy HomeMade Monday

Busch Gardens Cupcakes

At Busch Gardens, Williamsburg

from the M. Sweets Confectionary in Banbury Cross (across from the large clock)

As always when I am out and about, I am looking for cupcakes! There is one place that usually always has cupcake at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia, it is the M. Sweets Confectionary in Banbury Cross. At the price of just $2.99 for a jumbo cupcake you get a lot of bang for your buck!

"Candy makers to the king and queen in everyone"

is the slogan describing this confectionary on the Busch Gardens Website.

I chose this one to make mine! Chocolate and Chocolate with Reese's Pieces on top!

Maybe it was the near hundred degree temperatures talking, but this cupcake tasted wonderful! The cupcake was moist, the chocolate rich, and who doesn't like Reese's Pieces? YUM!

If you aren't feeling up to a jumbo sized cupcakes, there are many other sweets to temp your taste buds from dipped pretzels to dipped cookies and strawberries!

Here are some cupcakes from 2010 at Busch Gardens. The ones on the left are from the M. Sweets Confectionary at Banbury Cross and the Cookie Monster on the right is from Das Festhaus in Germany.

They always have a Chocolate Cookie Monster and Vanilla Elmo at Das Festhaus, and while they are kinda cute they seemed rather dry when we had one. Cookie Monsters and Elmos are standard sized cupcakes and the same price as the jumbos at the confectionary.

While at Busch Gardens, I would recommend getting your cupcake fix at the M. Sweets Confectionary!

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Salty and Sweet, crunchy and colorful, these chocolate covered pretzels are a quick and easy, not to mention an inexpensive treat!

You just need a few items:

Melting Chocolate- I used Candiquik

Pretzel Rods- I got these from the Dollar Tree

Sprinkles- I used Wilton Patriotic Mix

The Candiquik was some that I had leftover from another project, stored in a 1 cup size glass bowl. I started by melting the chocolate in the microwave for about 35 seconds. Once the chocolate was melted, I poured it into a plastic disposable cup. (Not pictured...changed my mind into the process!) The cup made it really easy to dip the pretzel all at once. (I don't have a picture of this step since both my hands were busy!) I then shook the pretzel off until the chocolate was about done dripping and held the pretzel over a plate and sprinkled with the sprinkles.

I placed the pretzels on a wax paper covered cookie sheet and put them in the refrigerator for a couple minutes to speed up the drying. Nothing much to clean up, I only had dish that I melted the chocolate in and the plate that I sprinkled the pretzels over.

One package of pretzel rods, 1 container of sprinkles, and about 1/2 package of Candiquik is enough for about 16 pretzels.

These can be adapted for any occassion or no occassion at all!

I just used a small jar for a display (in the first picture). I really couldn't find anything else that would work. A wide mouthed vase with colorful ribbon tied around it, filled with these chocolate covered pretzels would make a nice table centerpiece! I read from other bloggers that the Dollar Tree is a great place to find great containers for displays! I guess I need to keep my eye open for one when I am out shopping! Wilton also makes Pretzel Bags that can be used to pack these with a pretty ribbon for party favors or even for a school lunch treat!

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This treat is linked to:

Mom's Crazy Cooking- This Weeks Cravings

Alli N Son: Sweet Tooth Friday

Sweet As Sugar Cookies: Sweets For Saturday

This treat was featured at:
Annie's Home