Chubby-Hubby Truffles

Where else can you find a candy that can almost double as a healthy meal?

Peanut butter ... healthy!
Chocolate ... heart healthy!
Pretzels ... umm ... good source of wheat?

Aside from the deliciousness of the ingredients, I was first attracted to this truffle by the cool truth-in-advertising name.

Avoid sampling if you want to give as gifts, otherwise absolutely none of it will make it into baskets.

Speaking of gifts, the peanut butter garnish is very soft, so you might want to either omit it, or package them with plenty of headspace.  Or just save them for serving at home.  They are really too good to share, anyway.


Chubby-Hubby (aka Peanut Butter Pretzel) Truffles
Lightly adapted from Brown Eyed Baker
Yield: 18-30 truffles (depending upon size)

1 1/4 cups salted pretzels, any thin shape
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, plus an (optional) additional tablespoon for garnish
1 Tbl. unsalted butter, room temperature
2 Tbl. brown sugar
3 Tbl. confectioners' (powdered) sugar
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 Tbl. vegetable shortening


Place pretzels in a food-safe gallon plastic bag and loosely seal, then use a rolling pin or bottle to crush them into tiny pieces (avoid using a food processor because it's too easy to turn pretzels into powder).  You will have 1/3 to 1/2 cup crushed pretzels.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine peanut butter, butter, brown sugar and confectioners' sugar, stirring until blended and as smooth as possible. Remove and reserve 1 tablespoon of the crushed pretzels.  Add remaining crushed pretzels to the peanut butter mixture; mix thoroughly. 

Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Wet (preferably clean) hands with cold water; shake off excess water.  Shape mixture into a ball about 1-inch in diameter. Place ball on t prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining peanut butter mixture, wetting hands as necessary when mixture starts to stick to your hands. Place baking sheet into fridge; chill for at least 30 minutes.

When ready to dip the truffles, microwave chocolate chips and vegetable shortening together in a small heat-safe mixing bowl at full power in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.

Working one at a time, dip a peanut butter-pretzel ball into melted chocolate and use a fork to roll it around, ensuring that it is completely coated with chocolate (or create a dipping fork from a disposable plastic fork). Let any extra chocolate drip off; place back on the wax paper-lined sheet. After dipping 2 or 3 balls, sprinkle tops with a pinch of the reserved crushed pretzels. Repeat with remaining balls.

Return baking sheet to the fridge; chill for at least 30 minutes. Garnish with a drizzle of melted peanut butter, if desired (nuke for 20-30 seconds, transfer to a small freezer bag; cut off a tiny corner and go to town). Store in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge. Remove from fridge around 15 minutes before serving.