[Yori!] How to Make Giant Pepero to Give Out on 11/11

Happy Pepero Day! Pepero Day falls on November 11 (The number ones look like pepero sticks) and, as if Valentines Day and White day isn’t enough, is another holiday for couples and friends to exchange sweet gifts. This holiday is particularly popular with students, who give boxes of this sweet cookie snack to their friends and perhaps to their crushes.

According to Wikipedia, one Pepero Day origin story shares that a group of female middle school students in Busan exchanged Pepero sticks in hopes that one day they will be as tall and skinny as the cookies. Ironically, Pepero has a lot of calories, carbs, and sugar so they were setting themselves to be as round and plump as a Chocopie.

But let’s not think about calories on this tasty holiday. Pepero is actually Noona’s favorite Korean holiday because she has a weakness for the combination of chocolate and cookie. To celebrate this day with you, I want to teach you how to make homemade Pepero. Homemade Pepero is larger, and can be individually decorated.  A box of Pepero will be welcomed, but imagine how delighted your friends (or future lover) will be when he/she receives delicious chocolate dipped biscuits made by you.

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of pretzel rods or any long shaped crackers
• 1 sheet of parchment paper
• 1 pack of melting candy chips or chocolate
• Sprinkles (the more variety the better)
• Pretzel stick packaging bags
• Piping bags (optional)
• Baking tray (optional)
• Cooling rack (optional)

Step 1: Place candy melting chips in a microwaveable bowl (I used three colors to add some variety. It can still look good with just milk chocolate and white chocolate)

Step 2: Microwave in 30 second intervals while stirring with a spoon until it’s completely melted. I melted at least two colors at the same time to use the other color for drizzling. It is possible to melt the chocolate over a stove. Use low heat, and stir frequently.

Step 3: Once melted, place a good amount of it on the parchment paper so you can slowly spin the pretzel rod on it.

Step 4: This step can get a little tricky. Place your hand on the parchment paper to get a hold of it and use your other hand to slowly spin the top 75% of the pretzel rod on the melted chocolate. Once the pretzel looks like it’s covered well, slowly lift it as you keep slowly spinning it.

Ta-da!

Step 5: You may now sprinkle/drizzle on anything you wish. Almost any kind of design will look cute and delicious!

(Hint: To drizzle chocolate, pour the other little amount of melted chocolate into a piping bag. Twist the top, and snip a small hole on the tip. With a firm grip, aim your tip to the dipped Pepero stick and quickly but carefully start from one end, using a zig-zag motion as you squeeze the piping bag and drizzle all the way across the Pepero.)

Step 6. Let these set and cool either on a clean sheet of parchment paper or a cooling rack for about 30 mins. Once the chocolate has hardened, you can now package them in these perfectly sized packaging bags and give them away to your loved ones!

Try the recipe and let us know how it turns out in the comments below.

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Photo and instructions credit to Sarah Kim.