Chocolate-Dipped Spiced Twists

Cooking Instructions

Thaw the pastry sheet at room temperature for 40 minutes or until it's easy to handle. Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork.

Place the sugar and ginger into a food processor. Cover and process until the ginger is finely chopped. Reserve 2 tablespoons sugar mixture.

Sprinkle half of the remaining sugar mixture on a work surface. Unfold the pastry sheet on the sugar. Sprinkle the remaining sugar mixture over the pastry. Roll the pastry sheet into a 14-inch square. Fold the pastry sheet  in half, making a 14 x 7-inch rectangle. Cut the pastry crosswise into about 24 (1/2-inch wide) strips. Twist the strips and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets, pressing down the ends. Brush the twists with the egg mixture. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the twists are golden. Remove the twists from the baking sheet and cool on a wire rack.

Place the chocolate into a microwavable bowl. Microwave on HIGH for about 1 minute.  Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Dip half of each twist in the melted chocolate and place on a waxed paper-lined pan. Sprinkle with the reserved sugar mixture. Refrigerate for 10 minutes until the chocolate is firm. Store the twists in an airtight container with waxed paper between the layers until ready to serve.

Tip: Don't worry if you unwrap your chocolate and the surface has whitish streaks.  This is called "bloom" and occurs when chocolate isn't stored at the optimal temperature.  Bloom is harmless and the chocolate is fine to eat or to use in recipes.