Freedom Sticks

For the Fourth of July I made Freedom Sticks. Which is my fancy name for Chocolate-Caramel Dipped Pretzels with Red-White-and-Blue Jimmies:



I just bought pretzel rods and dipped them in melted caramel (use Kraft not Brach's) mixed with a tablespoon or so of milk. Let them cool on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper and put it in the freezer for 10 minutes or so. Melt a package of Ghiradelli milk chocolate chips over a double boiler; add a few tablespoons of shortening to thin it out a little. Then dip the caramel pretzels in chocolate, sprinkle with jimmies, and cool them again in the freezer. So easy and so yummy!

Tip: Pour the chocolate and caramel in a narrow glass before dipping the pretzels, so the mixture is deep enough for you to dip it in and pull it right out to cool. If you want them to be completely round instead of chocolate and caramel pooling on the sides (this is the yummiest part though); wipe the extra mixture off the pretzel before putting it down to cool; you can also twirl it around until it's semi-cool... but this takes forever!