We know we’re a little premature in saying this, but Happy National Pretzel Day everybody! National Pretzel Day is actually 3 days from now – on April 26th – but we were too excited to wait!
As some of you may know, we here at Choco-Mix have a particular fondness for pretzels – we especially like how great they taste on top of one of our 
customized chocolate bars! It may sound like an odd combination, but if you haven’t tried it yet then we highly recommend you do – there’s a good reason pretzels on chocolate is one of our bestsellers!
The Choco-Mix team have written this post to honour the mighty pretzel on this year’s National Pretzel Day. So read on to discover some interesting facts and tasty pretzel suggestions, and join us in our celebrations this April 26th!
Very little is known about the actual origin of the pretzel, though there are numerous stories and accounts. One such story says that pretzels were invented by Christian monks in Germany, while another insists that it was French monks, and yet another says that the invention of the pretzel is thanks to Italian monks, who created them in 610A.D as a reward for children who learned their prayers.
One thing that seems certain is that somewhere along the line, pretzels have had at least some religious significance. Especially within the Catholic Church, the ingredients of pretzels have particular significance – as they are usually made using only flour and water, pretzels are one of the few things that can actually be eaten during Lent. As such, within the Catholic Church, pretzels quickly became a favourite for both Lent and Easter, and it used to be pretzels that were hidden for children on Easter morning, rather than chocolate eggs!
Now that you know a little bit of the history behind them, why not try this tasty recipe for a pretzel themed dessert? –
Ingredients
• 100g pretzels, lightly crushed
• 45g butter, melted
• 115g sugar, plus 2 tbsps
• 45g cocoa powder
• 2 tbsps cornflour
• 500ml milk
• 1 egg
• 25g plain chocolate chips
• Special equipment: 4 (125ml) ramekins
Method
1) Preheat oven to 200C/Gas 6.
2) On a sheet tray, gently toss pretzels, butter and 2 tbsps sugar. Bake until sugar melts and crystallizes on the pretzels, about 10 minutes.
3) Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, whisk together the cocoa, 115g sugar and cornflour. Form a well in the centre and slowly whiskin milk over medium heat. This helps prevent the cornstarch from clumping. Bring mixture to a boil to thicken. Remove from heat. In a small bowl, whisk a little of the milk mixture into the egg to temper. Add egg mixture to the pot of milk.
4) Heat over low until mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency, about 3 to 5 minutes. Mix in chips until melted and combined well. Pour pudding into ramekins. Chill at least 1 hour. To serve, top with pretzels.
However, if you don’t have the time, patience or cooking skills for this home-made dessert, then don’t panic. The Choco-Mix team are ready and waiting to help you create your perfect pretzel-themed treat for National Pretzel Day. Just take a look at our website – http://www.chocomix.co.uk – and choose from our hundreds of different ingredients to make your customized pretzel bar. We would recommend pretzels with fudge and crushed digestive biscuit, but with over half a billion different combinations available in total, there really is no limit to the masterpieces that you can create!
Just be sure to get your National Pretzel Day orders in by 1pm on Thursday 24th of April, to guarantee delivery by Saturday 26th.
Happy Eating!
chocomix UK 