Make your very own customizable chocolate bark this holiday season. It's a recipe with infinite ways to personalize.
From the type of chocolate base to the topping options, like nuts, dried fruits, seeds and more, the possibilities are truly endless.
A quick, easy and versatile homemade treats that makes for a very wonderful gift.
For the smoothest results, use good quality chocolate without additives.
Why this Recipe Works
- Quick and easy. Requiring very few ingredients and minimal time.
- Recipe is versatile. From type of chocolate base to the toppings, there’s infinite possibilities!
- An epic homemade gift: Customizable bark: your answer to everyone and anyone’s Holiday present needs.
Homemade chocolate falls in that magic intersection of low maintenance to make and highly impressive to look at.
How to Make Chocolate Bark
Use white, milk or dark chocolate, without additives is best.
- Melt chocolate gently in a double broiler or microwave (optional to add flavorings at this point).
- Spread on baking sheet, sprinkle with topping & let set at room temperature.
- Break into pieces and enjoy!
Recommendation: Ask gift receivers their favorite toppings and make them feel extra special by catering to their tastes!
Customize bark for friends, family and significant others and show that you really do listen.
Use Quality Chocolate
It can be white, milk or dark chocolate.
When making bark you want chocolate that melts smoothly and is pourable.
Best bets, in order:
- Pure chocolate
- No additives
- Minimal additives
Additives are what’s added to chocolate chips to help them hold their shape while baked, aka stabilizers. Look at the ingredients.
For chocolate that melts smoothly and is pourable, use a good quality that doesn’t contain a ton of additives.
Note: To make your chocolate bark vegan/dairy free, use vegan/dairy free chocolate.
Topping Suggestions
Look for contrasts in whichever toppings you choose — think crunchy, tangy, sweet and salty.
Options include, but are not limited to:
- nuts
- dried or dehydrated fruit
- coffee beans
- candied ginger
- pretzels or chips
- coconut flakes
- edible flowers
- flaky seas salt
- cocoa nibs
The munchies sky’s the limit!
Choose a combination of toppings or stick to a single one.
Flavoring Elements
Aka additional flavors to the chocolate. Think ground coffee, spices, vanilla, citrus zest, chili, caramel and more. If it goes nicely with your mix-ins, you’ll be good to go.
Cooks Tips:
- For the smoothest results, use good quality chocolate with minimal additives.
- Be sure to spread the chocolate out thinly, about 1/4” thick.
- Don’t forget to line baking sheet with wax or parchment paper.
- Have toppings ready to sprinkle on melted chocolate
- Allow bark to set in at room temperature
- Store chocolate bark in an airtight container at room temperature for several weeks.
Wanna candy citrus for your chocolate bark? Check this candied citrus post out.
If ya tried it, I'd love to hear - leave a comment below and tag me on IG, @danielagerson, so I can see too!
There's a whole lot more seasonal recipes and colorful produce guides waiting for ya on the site.
Let's make waves in the kitchen.
The Only Chocolate Bark Recipe You Need
Ingredients
- 12 ounces quality chocolate, white, milk or dark
- 1 cup of toppings such as nuts, seeds, fruits and more
- ½ tsp flaky sea salt optional
Instructions
- Prep: Choose your mix-ins and cover a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
- Using the double boiler method or a microwave, gently melt chocolate until smooth and shiny.
- If you are adding your mix-ins and any flavoring to the chocolate do so now and mix until spread evenly throughout the melted chocolate.
- Pour chocolate on baking sheet and spread out thinly using a spatula, about 1/4 “ thick.
- Sprinkle toppings evenly over chocolate lightly pressing them in with the palm of your hand.
- Let the chocolate cool at room temperature until completely hardened about 2-4 hours.
- Once chocolate has hardened break into pieces and serve or store at room temperature.
Notes
- For the smoothest results, use good quality chocolate with minimal additives.
- Be sure to spread the chocolate out thinly, about 1/4” thick.
- Don’t forget to line baking sheet with wax or parchment paper.
- Have toppings ready to sprinkle on melted chocolate
- Allow bark to set in at room temperature
- Store chocolate bark in an airtight container at room temperature for several weeks.
Looks great. Can this be made a month ahead and frozen?
Yep! It should last a couple of months in the freezer + so stoked to hear your making this Lori!
Major chocolate addict here and love the idea of customizing this for specific tastes 🙂 The photo with what looks like dried orange slices looks amazing. Can you please tell us what those are? Did you make them and are they candied or sweet? Thx!
Hi Nicole ~ they're candied blood oranges! I have a candied citrus recipe and a candied blood orange recipe dipped in chocolate on the blog too :). It's the candied recipe using blood oranges and so sorry for the delay!