Scroll down to learn how to make these Pepero sticks!
... as well as these delicious sweeties :)
Pepero Day is just around the corner! Which means it's time to give away those yummy chocolate sticks to family, friends and your significant other. You can buy boxes of Pepero at a Korean market or make them yourself at home. It's quite simple and I'm showing you how. Ready or not, here we go!
Note: for the detailed instructions, watch my YouTube video this Wednesday (tomorrow)!
Step 1: Grab your sticks.
Have 'em ready for action. Make these sticks from scratch or get them at your local grocery shop. Doesn't have to be Korean. As long as you find edible goods in the form of sticks, you're good to go! As for me, I'm using ingredients found at the American market.
Experiment with different kinds of sticks to find your perfect match.
Breadsticks. These looks more like the classic Pepero sticks made of biscuit.
Pretzel rod. The salt bits paired with dark chocolate make a winning combo!
Wafer rolls. Shorter and more delicate compared to the previous sticks. However they do contain chocolate inside!
Step 2: Melt the chocolate.
Whatever your favorite chocolate is, it is time to melt them. Microwave or double boil. Your choice. I'll be using the double boil method to melt my morsels of dark and white chocolate.
Make sure your chocolate bits are in small, equal pieces.
Mmmmm... Move over diamonds! Chocolate are a girl's best friend.
Fill a saucepan with 2-3 inches of water. Place a snug-fitting glass or metal bowl on top. Make sure the heat is on low heat for simmering and that the water in the saucepan doesn't touch your stacked bowl. We don't want to burn the chocolate. What did those sweeties ever do to you to receive such treatment?
The double boil method. Typically you'd use a snug-fitting glass or metal bowl for stacking. Otherwise, improvise. Perhaps you'll place a bowl at an angle like I did (above).
Dump those chocolate morsels into the stacked bowl as the water simmers. Keep stirring. When there are only a couple bits left to be melted, turn the heat off.
I'm so tempted to swim in this.
Step 3: Cover the sticks with melted chocolate.
Leave one end of the stick untouched by chocolate. This allows for people to enjoy your homemade Pepero sticks without creating a hot mess on their fingers.
Step 4: Decorate those sticks!
Before the melted chocolate dries and hardens, sprinkle on your desired ingredients. Your sticks may look like twinsies of the original Pepero flavors. Or get creative and invent your own combo of party-in-the-mouths!
My family of vegan toppings: almonds, goji berries, pumpkin seeds, coconut shavings, and more!
I ended up making five sets of chocolate sticks. For the first batch, I used coconut shavings, raw almonds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, red quinoa, millet, buckwheat, and amaranth. The healthy and nutritious makeover to Pepero! Makes you feel a little less guilty for eating sugar and refined carbs.
This first batch was my tastiest set of homemade Pepero. The salted pretzel rods paired with dark chocolate and crunchy toppings was a match made in heaven.
My second batch of homemade Pepero. Not as exciting and sexy as the previous set, however still cute in its own simple way.
Once I finished using my dark chocolate, I cleaned the stacked glass bowl and melted the morsels of white chocolate.
My third set of homemade Pepero was a rainbow. The combo of colorful sprinkles, white chocolate and breadsticks tasted like a birthday cake! Maybe even a unicorn.
My fourth set of homemade Pepero was the most fun to decorate. Though not as glossy as my first batch, the vibrant red of the goji berries make this batch exciting in terms of presentation.
I present to you... my fifth and final set of homemade chocolate sticks. Happy Pepero Day!
Don't forget to share your goodies with your loved ones. Spread the happiness and calories! One way to bond with people is to get fat with them :)
