One of my favorite places to visit in the DC area is Old Town Alexandria.  I first discovered Old Town as a 1L.  I really, really needed to get out of DC and away from law school for a few hours one day, so I rode the Metro down to King Street and walked up and down, checking out the shops, watching the boats cruise by on the Potomac, and enjoying some frozen custard.  I felt like I was on vacation.  Since then, I have jumped on the Metro (or more recently, into the car) many times when I needed a quick getaway for an afternoon.  It’s one of the most enjoyable ways to spend an afternoon, and hubby loves Old Town as much as I do.  Some time ago, as we wandered through some side streets, we happened upon The Sugar Cube, quite possibly the best confectionary EVER.  They sell a mix of old-timey retro treats and gourmet sweets.  Last time we stopped by, I bought a “turtle” style truffle made with crushed pretzels.  Salty and sweet, this goodie represented everything that I love about chocolate-covered pretzels in a compact, bite-sized package.  YUM!  I love experimenting with different kinds of candy, so I knew that this would have to be on the menu for my next party… and these little beauties went over famously, as chocolate always does with my friends.

Pretzel Turtles

2 cups crushed pretzels
1 package milk-chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 package dark-chocolate chips
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
Maldon sea salt, for garnishing (optional)

• In a double-boiler, melt the milk chocolate chips and cream together until they form a smooth mixture.  Stir in the crushed pretzels.
• Lay out a sheet of parchment paper on a counter.  Using a teaspoon, portion out the truffles on the parchment paper and allow to dry.
• Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate chips and corn syrup together until smooth.  Pour over the truffles to create a ganache-style topping.
• If desired, sprinkle truffles with Maldon sea salt.  Allow truffles to dry before serving.

Source: Inspired by The Sugar Cube.

Yield: approximately 24 truffles.