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Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Bark
An easy homemade chocolate candy treat made with homemade salted caramel, salty pretzels, and creamy milk and semi-sweet chocolate. The perfect salty sweet combination!
There is good reason that salty sweet treats are so popular! We just arrived home from a trip to Colorado with the family. When we are on vacation, we find dessert places wherever we go. We found a chocolate shop selling chocolate caramel pretzel bark. However it was $5 per piece so I had a bit of sticker shock! As soon as I got home, it was at the top of my list of foods to make in my kitchen for a fraction of the cost.
This Homemade Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Bark is made with two types of chocolate — milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate to give it the perfect amount of sweetness. It is paired with buttery caramel and salty pretzels to give it the crunchy, creamy, sweet, and salty elements. Beware…it is beyond addicting!
I love to make my own homemade salted caramel but if you want a quick and easy method, you can use pre-packaged caramels and melt them according to the package instructions. If you want to make salted caramel from scratch, you only need a few ingredients — sugar, butter, heavy cream, and sea salt. That’s it!
When I am making chocolate pretzel bark, I prefer to use high-quality chocolate since it is the star ingredient. My favorite chocolate brands are Guittard and Ghirardelli.
To melt the chocolate, you can do it in the microwave at 50% less power and melt it in 30-second increments, stirring well. You can also use a double boiler method which melts it perfectly without worrying about the chocolate burning.
How to make Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Bark:
- Begin with a parchment lined baking sheet. You can even lightly spray the parchment or waxed paper to make sure the chocolate bark doesn’t stick to it.
- Melt the semi-sweet chocolate. This can be done in a double-boiler or in the microwave. If you choose the microwave, start off with a microwave-safe bowl. It is important when melting chocolate to reduce the microwave power to 50%. Cook the chocolate in 30-second increments, stirring well after each increment, until completely melted.
- Press the pretzels into the chocolate immediately so the pretzels will adhere to the chocolate as it hardens.
- To make the homemade caramel, watch it carefully. It can turn from perfectly golden to bitter very quickly. Once the caramel is done, pour over the pretzels.
- If you are using packaged caramels, melt according to the package instructions.
- Melt the milk chocolate (see step #2). Use a spoon to pour over the caramel.
- Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill for several hours. If you want to speed up the process, it can be placed in the freezer.
- Cut into squares and serve.
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Here are some of my favorite baking essentials for this recipe:
Light colored Baking Sheets
Parchment Paper Sheets
Double Boiler
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Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Bark
Ingredients
- 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate
- 1 1/2 cups Mini Salted Pretzels
- 1 cup Milk Chocolate
Homemade Salted Caramel:
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1 pkg. Soft Caramels (OPTIONAL: if not making homemade caramel)
Instructions
- Begin with a parchment lined baking sheet. To make sure the chocolate bark doesn't stick to it, you may lightly spray the parchment or wax paper.
- Melt the semi-sweet chocolate. This can be done in a double-boiler or in the microwave. If you choose the microwave, start off with a microwave-safe bowl. It is important when melting chocolate to reduce the microwave power to 50%. Cook the chocolate in 30-second increments, stirring well after each increment, until completely melted.
- Press the pretzels into the chocolate immediately so the pretzels will adhere to the chocolate as it hardens.
To make Homemade Caramel:
- In a medium saucepan, heat sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly. The sugar will begin to form clumps and will turn into an amber color. Keep stirring. Watch carefully as the sugar can easily burn.Once sugar is completely melted, add the butter. The butter will bubble so be careful.Stir the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted. Use a whisk to stir the sugar and butter. Drizzle the heavy cream into mixture and stir.Let it boil for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sea salt. Let set up. Once the caramel is done, pour over the pretzels. You may not use all of the caramel.
- If you are using packaged caramels, melt according to the package instructions.
- Melt the milk chocolate (see step #2). Use a spoon or flat spatula to pour over the caramel. Spread the milk chocolate almost to the edges. Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill for several hours. If you want to speed up the process, it can be placed in the freezer.Cut into squares and serve.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this recipe and I put it in the fridge and when I broke it up the caramel was had to break and all the nuts fell off
Delish!! And so easy!!
how long will this recipe stay fresh?
Love this recipe!
These are amazing! Nothing better than sweet with the salty. Love them….can’t stop eating them. Thank you MH for a great recipe.
WOW! This blew me away. So good.
This sounds and looks delicious but as someone who’s never made bark before, there seems to be a gap in the recipe. How do we go from melting the chocolate to pressing the pretzels into the chocolate? Where’s the step in between? To pour the chocolate onto the parchment… Do I need a spatula or knife to spread it into an even layer? How thin should it be and how wide should it spread? All the way to the edges of the baking sheet or smaller than that? Rectangular or irregular edges? I’m probably over thinking this but SOME information would be helpful. Also, the pictures look like there is chocolate on top of the caramel, so should I save some the chocolate to drizzle on top? This recipe seems incomplete.
Love your recipes. Using them for dinner menu at my golf tournaments