Chocolate Caramel Pretzels

This is one of my favorite things to eat at this time of year. I don't know why but they feel like a Christmasy dessert. The caramel is so soft and the chocolate compliments it so well. It takes a little time to make but its totally worth it.

Chocolate Caramel Pretzels

Recipe Source: melskitchencafe.com

Caramel

1 cup Butter
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Light Corn Syrup
14 oz. can Sweetened Condensed Milk
dash of Salt 

Mix ingredients in order over medium heat. Bring to a rolling boil (about 8 minutes), stirring constantly, to soft ball stage (about 15 minutes more, use a candy thermometer or test in a bowl of cold water – a drop of caramel in the cold water should roll into a soft ball in your fingers). Remove from heat. Dip the pretzels in the caramel once it has stopped boiling. If you are putting cookies or candy directly onto the caramel do so immediately because the caramel sets very quickly. If you are dipping in chocolate put the pretzels in the fridge for about 30 minutes so the caramel will be cold and won't melt off the apple when it was dipped in the hot chocolate.

Chocolate for Dipping

16oz Semisweet Baking Chocolate

4oz White Baking Chocolate

Melt the semisweet chocolate in a double boiler. (I used a regular sauce pan and a metal bowl. Make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl when its placed on the saucepan.) You need to go pretty quickly when dipping the caramel covered pretzels because the coldness of the caramel with start to solidify the chocolate.

Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler. When the chocolate is melted, using a large spoon put it in a Ziploc bag and cut off the tip of one of the corners to make the stripes.