Chocolate Winners and PB Chocolate Hearts Recipe
For starters, so many wonderful comments for the giveaway! I am still going through them all to see if we can’t address some favorites. I noticed that PB and chocolate was an overwhelming favorite, so for those of you who don’t have a complementary box of Premium Chocolates coming to you, then perhaps the little recipe idea below will spark your fancy.
As for those winners … I selected two commenters using random.org and both just happen to be bloggers … Congratulations to:
Commenter #188 – Vicki of Food Allergy Life – “One of my favorite combos is chocolate/mint!”
Commenter #261 – Katy of Legally Vegan – “Mmmm, I love dark chocolate, chocolate and caramel, and peanut butter and chocolate.”
These two lucky ladies will receive a box of chocolate from Premium Chocolatiers for Valentine’s Day! However, for Katy and everyone else who loves the combo of PB anc chocolate, I have a fun and tasty Valentine’s Day confection idea.
I was inspired by The Hungry Mouse, but since I keep a dairy-free house, no Reese’s are to be found. So instead, I used the recipe for Peanut Butter “Truffles” from my book, Go Dairy Free, and altered it just a bit to make these pretzel treats!
Please forgive my shotty confection skills, as you can tell, I am very new at this, and mine didn’t come out (even close to) picture perfect. But, I am sure most of you have far better skills in the kitchen than I do, and this idea is too fun to pass up! I made them for the Valentine’s Day Blogger Exchange.
Peanut Butter Pretzel Chocolate Hearts
Recipe adapted from Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook
- 3/4 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter (I used unsalted)
- 1/4 Cup Margarine (I used Earth Balance Vegan Margarine), softened or melted
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
- 1/8 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Plain Milk Alternative, any type (or as needed)
- 12 Ounce Bag of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (I use TJ’s, Ghirardelli’s are made without milk, but for milk allergy-friendly, try Enjoy Life brand or Tropical Source’s dairy-free version)*
- 1 Bag Smallish Twisted Pretzels (I used spelt ones that happened to be on sale, you can use regular, GF, whatever you like!)
In a large bowl, combine the PB, margarine, and vanilla. Sift in the powdered sugar and salt, and mix until homogenous. You want the dough to be somewhat stiff and easy to shape, but if it is too stiff (may depend on your PB) add 1 tablespoon of milk alternative, or more as needed. If it is actually too sticky, pop it into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes or so.
Melt the chocolate chips in a bowl (I usually just start with half of them and melt more as I need them). Roll a small ball of the PB mixture, place it on top of a pretzel, and smash it down with another pretzel, making sure to line the two pretzels up. If desired, fill in with additional PB, and add some shape. I was having a bit too much fun with this and added to the heart-like shape before dipping …
Dip the PB pretzels in the chocolate, ensuring that they are coated. Lift them out with a fork, tapping the fork several times on the bowl to smooth the chocolate a bit and get rid of excess chocolate (unless you like excess chocolate!). Place them on a silpat or wax paper lined baking sheet, and pop them in the freezer for about 15 minutes to chill and harden. Store in the fridge.
You can also shape the PB dough itself into balls or heart shapes, for some chocolate-dipped confections sans pretzels. I did both …
*I also coated some in dark chocolate (a bar I melted down) and white chocolate would probably be lovely.
Yield: Honestly, I have no idea. I was having far too much fun and making a huge mess. I also “sampled” several of them and had to stop (saving the rest to finish tomorrow) as it was just getting too late and my sugar-high too out of control. But if you make them, be sure to let me know!
23 thoughts on “Chocolate Winners and PB Chocolate Hearts Recipe”
Congratulations to the winners; and hooray for a darling V-Day treat recipe!! 😀
Darn, I didn’t win! Congrats to the winners, though!
This recipe is absolutely adorable and I will definitely be trying it out. I might make some peanut butter and some almond butter, too! I have to work Saturday, so we’re “celebrating” Valentine’s on Thursday. Maybe then? I’ll let you know!
Great recipe! I am impressed!
OMG, those look unbelievable! What a great idea. And congrats to the winners (though I am green with envy. . . )!
mmm those pretzel hearts look so fun! I am totally going to make some and eat them …I mean give them away…no, I mean eat them…
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm chocolate :o)
BOY do those look gorgeous!! You should totally sell ’em!! 🙂
Super idea!! I have to make some with Sunbutter.
BTW After reading your review I had to get some Premium Chocolates sent for Valentine’s Day. I can’t wait to try them!
Holy moly, well done! These look amazing! Also, thanks a bundle for the mention! Candy is so much fun to play with. 😀
+Jessie
a.k.a. The Hungry Mouse
Those look so good – you did an excellent job with your candy making!
Late to the party 🙁 but just wanted to say how fabulous those treats look. Must try!
WOW…will certainly put these on my favorites list! Thanks!
Those look adorable! Who doesn’t love peanut butter, chocolate and pretzels???
WOW! this all looks AMAZING!
Oh, these look so sweet! I’m gonna make them for my daughter for Valentines, and let her help! I’ll use white chocolate though, she can’t have the dark. Thanks for the awesome idea!
These look delicious. They’d be great any time of year, not just Valentine’s Day!
Just wanted to let you know that I posted this recipe on my site and linked back to you for the credit….they just looked too good….thanks!
These were wonderful (and evil!!!) My kids had fun making them with me. And my dairy free 4 yr old wasn’t sad at all to have most of his preschool Valentine’s Day candy taken away when he had these to munch on. Thanks for the great idea!
Thanks all, I am so glad you liked them!
Jen, yes, I hadn’t thought about the kid-factor too. The pb filling is like play dough in texture and oh-so-much fun to work with!
This made about 48 mini pretzel “cookies.” It did take about 2 hours for me to make these and I was working the whole time. I stuffed all the cookies before dipping them in chocolate in a make-shift double boiler. I am not a confectionist and these were really easy! I did not do the little tail and they still came out looking like hearts. I would make these again but not for a while since they were time consuming.
Comments are closed.