I used pretzel "dipping sticks" to make this recipe--they're smaller than pretzel rods and about the circumference of a pencil. If you can't find them, you can always use pretzels of a different size, as long as they're straight sticks!
Yield: 48 pretzel pencils
Ingredients:
- 12 oz (2 cups) yellow candy coating
- 4 dozen pretzel "dipping sticks" or rods
- 1/4 cup white candy coating
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup licorice bites (see Note below for substitutes)
Preparation:
1. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment. Depending on the size of your licorice bites, you may need to trim them before you begin, so they're about a quarter-inch long.
2. Melt the yellow candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments, stirring after every 30 seconds until completely melted and smooth.
3. Hold a pretzel stick by one tip, and dip almost all of it into the yellow coating, leaving about a half-inch undipped where you are holding it. Tap the stick against the side of the bowl to remove excess coating, then place the pretzel stick on the lined baking sheet. While the coating is still wet, press a licorice bit into the end of the stick to represent the pencil eraser.
4. Repeat until all of the pretzels are dipped in yellow and have licorice erasers. Refrigerate the tray to set the coating.
5. Melt the white chocolate coating in a small bowl. Dip the undipped end of a pretzel stick into the white until it's completely covered. Press a chocolate chip into the white end of the pretzel, and place it back on the tray to set completely. Repeat until the remaining pretzels are finished.
6. Refrigerate the tray until the coating is completely set. Store Pretzel Pencils in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Note: Instead of licorice bits, you can wrap the end of each pencil in a thin red candy sheet, like a Fruit Roll-Up or Fruit by the Foot. Alternately, you can dip the tips in red candy coating to represent the eraser end instead.
