From the Kitchen: Peanut Butter Pretzel Truffles

We served these peanut butter pretzel truffles at my friend Erin's baby shower - she is famous for her truffles, so it seemed fitting to serve them at her shower!  They are one of my favorite treats, and the two-bite size is perfect for a shower or party menu.  They're the perfect combination of sweet and salty - chocolate, peanut butter, and pretzels make for a great dessert!

Peanut Butter Pretzel Truffles

Yield: 12 truffles

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups pretzel pieces, plus a few extra for garnish (use the small twists)
1 package chocolate almond bark (you'll need 4-5 "cubes")

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, stir together the butter, brown sugar, salt, and peanut butter.  Add the powdered sugar and stir well.  

Break the pretzels into a few pieces (but not crushed - you'll use too much if crushed and the mixture will be too dry!) to measure them.  Place them in a Ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin.  Add the pretzels to the mixing bowl and stir well.  Refrigerate the truffle dough for at least an hour.

Using your hands, roll the dough into 12 two-bite size balls.  Place the truffle balls on a plate and put in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

Put a few additional pretzels (5-10) for garnish in a small Ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin.

Melt 4-5 cubes of chocolate almond bark in a shallow bowl.  Remove the truffle balls from the freezer and, one at a time, put the truffle balls in the chocolate and use a spoon to completely cover the truffle ball in chocolate.  

Use a toothpick to spear the truffle ball, remove it from the bowl of chocolate (allowing the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl), and place it on wax paper.  Quickly dip the toothpick back in the melted chocolate and use it to fill the hole in the truffle ball from the toothpick (so the hole doesn't show).  Sprinkle crushed pretzels on the top of each truffle ball immediately to garnish.  Repeat with the remaining 11 truffle balls.

Refrigerate and serve cold (they are much better cold than room temperature!)