20 Things You Can Dip in Chocolate
Chocolate-covered desserts are great for holiday get-togethers, birthday parties, office luncheons, or just for nibbling at home. You don’t need many ingredients (usually just three: vegetable shortening or paraffin wax; melted chocolate; and the thing you’re dipping in it). You don’t need many supplies (a double boiler or microwave-safe bowl; a cookie sheet with waxed paper; skewers, popsicle sticks or toothpicks; and a refrigerator or freezer for hardening your creations). If you like, you can dress up your chocolate-covered confections with sprinkles, candy pieces, chopped nuts, crushed candy canes, toasted coconut—whatever tickles your taste buds!
Be sure to melt the chocolate slowly, with a little vegetable shortening or parrafin wax and absolutely NO water (it will ruin the chocolate). Place freshly dipped pieces onto a sheet of waxed paper, so they don’t stick when the chocolate hardens. Refrigerate or freeze the pieces to set the chocolate and prevent melting.
1. Sandwich Cookies
Using tongs or your fingers, dip half of a cookie in melted chocolate. Choose holiday-themed Oreos, Nutter Butters, or anything you like. Top each cookie with a single M&M, or candy sprinkles, and chill until set.
2. Pretzels Rods
Rods are easy for dipping because you can hold one end while dipping the other. Use salted pretzels for a salty-sweet contrast. Roll the wet pretzel in sprinkles or drizzle with white chocolate.
3. Popcorn
Butter and salt your popcorn as usual. Stir several cups into a pot of melted chocolate. Spoon clusters of popcorn onto waxed paper and set. You can do this with caramel corn, too.
4. Apples
Pierce a whole apple with a popsicle stick and dip it in chocolate. Add sprinkles, nuts, or a layer of melted caramel for extra pizzazz.
5. Marshmallows
Stab jumbo marshmallows with toothpicks and dip. Coat the marshmallows with toasted coconut or chopped nuts.
6. Brownie Squares
Cut small chunks of brownie and dip at least half of each piece in chocolate. Before the chocolate sets, bejewel the brownies with thin slices of Snickers bar, crushed peanutbutter cups, or other candy pieces.
7. Potato Chips
Use tongs to dip rippled potato chips in chocolate. When the chocolate is set, eat the chips plain or dip them in peanutbutter..
8. Bananas
Cut bananas into small chunks and skewer them with popsicle sticks. Dip the bananas in chocolate, sprinkle with chopped nuts, and freeze.
9. Candy Corn
Choose standard candy corn, or one of the newer fruit flavored varieties. Dump the corn into your pot, coat it, spoon onto waxed paper, and chill.
10. Bacon
If you dare, fry slices of bacon, allow them to cool, and dip them in chocolate. Refrigerate and enjoy a salty, sugary, greasy delight.
Ten More Things You Can Dip in Chocolate
Try strawberries (dry thoroughly before dipping), dried pineapple, graham crackers, sunflower seeds, mixed nuts, chow mein noodles, roasted coffee beans, salty corn chips, raisins, and various cereals.
The sky is the limit when you think creatively about chocolate-dipping. If you’re wondering if something tastes good dipped in chocolate, try it. It probably does!