Makes about 45
2 tablespoons boiling water
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup caster sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 cups plain flour, sifted
Chocolate, melted (for dipping)
- Mix water with cocoa powder to form a smooth paste.
- Cream butter and sugar together in a bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and mix until well combined.
- Add the vanilla and cocoa paste to the butter mixture and mix until all the ingredients are combined.
- Add the sifted flour to the mixture and work into a soft dough.
- Wrap the dough in cling wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) and line trays with baking paper.
- Lightly kneed the chilled dough.
- Roll about a tablespoon of dough into sausages (1cm x 15cm) and form a pretzel; continue with all the remaining dough.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Dip cooled pretzels in melted chocolate and decorate with sprinkles, chocolate flakes or white chocolate (optional).