Foodie Friday: I Want Candy! Making Pretzel Cashew Bark

We like to entertain our friends and for some reason, making a main dish doesn't worry me. I do, however, need to dazzle on the dessert. Maybe it's years of watching my Mama dazzle her guests with her dessert selections? Whatever the case, I want to either rock my guests with presentation or make it so delicious that they have a hard time saying no to seconds.

We had a party to celebrate my hubby's birthday and because it was a mingling kind of party rather than a sit down dinner, I wanted to make a dessert that would allow for nibbling - no plate required. I settled on Pretzel Cashew Bark.

Ingredients:
1 bag white chocolate morsels
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate morsels
mini pretzels
cashews
optional: crumbled heath (toffee) bar, mini marshmallows

First, lay out a layer of wax paper onto which you'll would pour my melted chocolate. Then put a sauce pan of water on to boil and filled another pan that would fit into the first pan with the white chocolate morsels. Place the smaller (chocolate) pan into the pan with the boiling water to create a double boiler.

Make sure you stir the chocolate once it's in the boiling water. With a spatula, pull the melted chocolate into the unmelted chocolate, keeping it constantly moving so it doesn't burn or stick. Once your chocolate is completely melted (will have a bit of a sheen to it), spread it out on your wax paper making a long, thin layer of chocolate. While the chocolate is still warm and pliable, sprinkle on cashews and your broken up mini pretzels so that every bite will have a goodie inside.

While that layer is cooling, wash out your chocolate pot and dry it thoroughly, refill your water pot and start boiling again. Repeat your chocolate melting process as above until your chocolate is melted and pour this layer over the layer of cashews and pretzels. With your spatula, smooth out this layer so it's not clumping in any one part.

Allow to cool thoroughly. Line a storage container with wax paper and carefully lift your bark off of the initial piece of wax paper, breaking it into small pieces as you go. Place them into your wax paper lines storage container until you are ready to serve. This stuff (if it's not eaten) has a shelf life of several weeks. Know, however, that if you use salted cashews or pretzels that the dark chocolate will develop salt marks. These marks don't change the yummy flavor and I usually just serve them dark side down.

Enjoy!