Chocolate Covered Pretzel Giraffes

Last weekend, I threw a baby shower for my friend Barb who is having twin girls (read more about it here)!  Barb and her husband, Dave, are two of the nicest and most hilarious people we know, so we were excited to help celebrate their little ones with their Boston friends!

In true pregnant lady fashion, these babies have nick-names already.  "Baby A" and "Baby B", how the doctors refer to the babies, wasn't cutting it, so they opted with giraffe and monkey (characteristics mirrored by the girls' actions already).  I decided to make some chocolate covered pretzels look like giraffes, and mini cupcakes with monkeys on them to reflect these names.  I found a pin with lots of chocolate covered pretzels decorated like animals while browsing one day, and knew these needed to be at the shower.

To make them, you'll need:

Log pretzels
Yellow candy coat morsels (or yellow melting chocolate)
Fondant (or brown and yellow colored candies)
Brown and yellow icing dye (if you're using fondant)
Paintbrushs
Water
Food-safe markers (brown and black) - optional

First, dip your pretzels and lay them on wax paper to dry.

I found the candy coating dots coated thinly, so I did two coats on the pretzels.  The more the better...mmmmmmm.

Next for the faces!

You'll need one large yellow circle, two small yellow circles, and one brown circle to begin the face.  Lightly pinch one section of each small yellow circle to form the ears (see below).  Wet a paintbrush and put a dab of water where the brown circle and two ears should go.  This will help the fondant stick to each other.

Now for the details - the eyes, horns and markings!

Roll two small brown pieces for the horns and two white balls for the eyes.  Use the food-safe markers to finish the eyes, nose markings, and dots on the face!

Leave these to dry before attaching to the pretzel.

Paint on giraffe spots using slightly watered-down brown icing gel.  Let dry.

Then attach the faces with a little melted chocolate!

Enjoy!