Friends & Peanut Butter Chocolate Dipped Pretzels

Friendship is something we often take for granted, but it is truly one of life's treasures we should cherish at all times. I am very lucky to count Arlyn Blake author of The I Love To Cook Book as a friend. Arlyn generously sent me a copy of her book published in 1971 recently. I instantly looked at all the recipes cover to cover and found a recipe for soft pretzels, which I made the very next day.

Since Halloween is upon us I thought what better than to dip the pretzels in white chocolate peanut butter ganache and then 61% chocolate followed by a sprinkling of crushed Reese's Pieces. Arlyn very graciously gave me permission to include her recipe on my blog. So make some friends and try out this recipe together or hand them out on Halloween and I assure you there will be a new following of fans on your doorstep.



Soft Pretzels recipe by Arlyn Blake

1 package of yeast
1 1/2 Cups of Warm Water
1/8 teaspoon Ginger
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
4 Cups Flour
1 Egg, beaten
Coarse Salt (Kosher)

Dough after kneading

Dissolve yeast in water, and stir in ginger. Add sugar and salt and blend in flour. Turn the dough out and knead on a lightly floured board until smooth. Cut off 12 to 14 small pieces of dough, roll into ropes and twist into pretzel shape. Arrange on very lightly buttered cookie sheets. Brush with beaten egg, sprinkle generously with coarse salt and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, or until browned.


I decided to make small straight pretzels so they could be dipped easily. The ones above are 5" long and were scaled in 1/2 ounce pieces which is about the size of a golf ball.



If you would like my white chocolate peanut butter ganache recipe, please send me an email. Otherwise just use some peanut butter and spread it on the pretzels then dip in chocolate. If you are not able to find a premium chocolate in the 60% range, just melt a bag of nestle toll house semi-sweet chips.



Go crazy and sprinkle on any topping, chopped nuts, M&Ms, chopped Butterfingers, you name it - Have Fun!!!! and Happy Halloween.

In Loving Memory Andrea Orlen

Andrea was a kindred creative spirit whose encouraging words always gave me strength from our days in Phoenix (our high school drama club) together at Dobbs until recent months when I promised to send a box of cookies to her in California so she could be my taste tester on a recent recipe experiment. Unfortunately I never got around to sending them. I took for granted that she would always be in my life. Andrea, you will be greatly missed.

Phoenix Meeting 1988 from top to bottom Melissa Fuller, Ri Bickel, Myself, Susan Orlando and Andrea Orlen