About Malwina Gudowska
Well-versed in all sartorial matters, Calgary City Editor Malwina Gudowska is forever fighting the good fight in abolishing that awful moniker (starts with cow and ends with town) that has undeservingly been bestowed on her city. With timely tips, insider info and the latest scoops, she’ll take you into the heart of the cool new West.
While semi-successfully attempting a "simple chocolate chip cookie recipe," the other night with my girlfriend, she turned to me and said: "This is why cooking is so much easier, it's way more forgiving."
The cookies turned out OK but they were no Nestle Tollhouse (that's an ode to the Friends episode where Phoebe and Monica try out dozens of recipes to try to replicate Phoebe's grandmother's recipe that was destroyed in the fire. Monica ends up finding out that the recipe was actually the one on the back of the chocolate chip bag.)
But seriously, how are some people (my mother-in-law, for example) such amazing bakers and then there are those of us who try and try only to fail each time. For those of you that fall into the latter category and share my plight, I thought I'd let you in on my go-to holiday treat. When I am appointed dessert-bringer to any party around this time, I make these sweet/salty delights. (Two parties down already.)
Although I certainly did not invent the recipe and you can find it anywhere on the Web, I am still amazed at the reaction I get when people try them.
I present to you:
Rolo-Topped Pretzels. a.k.a. Pretzel Turtles, a.k.a. Chocolate Snails.
Ingredients
Small pretzel rings or, waffle pretzels also work well
Rolo candies (same quantity as the pretzels)
Pecan halves (you can substitute with almonds or walnuts)
Method
Preheat oven to 200°C
Place the pretzels an inch or so apart on a baking sheet
Unwrap Rolos and put one candy directly on top of each pretzel
Bake 3 to 5 minutes or until you see the chocolate soften but don’t let the caramel ooze out
Take out of the oven and firmly press a pecan half into each chocolate top until it collapses on the pretzel
Feel free to let the caramel ooze out now
Allow to cool or take the risk by popping one now, it’s worth it.
Chef's note: Although they are relatively foolproof, we did have to do a redo batch recently when someone in the house (ahem, not me) left them in too long and all the caramel oozed out of the Rolo.
