Chocolate Pretzel Cracks

by Patti
(South Carolina)

What causes chocolate pretzel cracks?

I dipped pretzels in chocolate and they look good but have cracks? What do you think is wrong?

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Hi Patti,


I'm glad that you are jumping in and having a go with making chocolate covered pretzels. Chocolate pretzels are one of my favorite chocolate combos. That sweet and salty mixture is simply fantastic!


I'm wondering about how you "set" your chocolate once you dipped the pretzels. Did you allow the chocolate to set at room temperature, or did you pop them in the refrigerator or freezer for quicker setting?


If you placed the chocolate pretzels in the fridge or freezer, that may very well be the cause of the cracking that you are now experiencing. The change in the temperature can cause the chocolate to contract.


However, although I haven't personally had trouble with my chocolate covered pretzels cracking after several days (maybe because they rarely last that long?), there have been several other people that have complained of this very same problem, even though they have let them set without refrigerating or freezing.


Not long ago I read a tip in the book Candy Making for Dummies about making chocolate covered pretzels and the cracking issue. The author reported that he discovered that if he left his pretzels sitting out over night before he dipped them in the chocolate (so they would get a little soft), it seemed to get rid of the problem of cracking.


You may want to give that a try and let us know if it solves the problem for you.


Have fun!
Angie