Chocolate Bark Three Ways

A couple of weeks ago I made marbled chocolate bark with bittersweet and milk chocolate. Today I want to take ordinary chocolate bark and elevate it to that next level. What I love about chocolate bark is:

It’s simple to make.
No baking involved.
It’s the perfect sweet snack.
It’s a great gift idea for the holiday season.

First you will need 16 oz of chocolate chips for each type of bark we make. So a total of 32 ounces if you plan on making all three types. It’s important to temper your chocolate when making your chocolate bark. When you temper chocolate, you melt the chocolate slowly in a bowl over a pot of simmering water and let it cool slowly. Melting separates the molecules in the chocolate and they bond back when cooling. Your chocolate should look smooth and shiny. Proper tempering will give your chocolate a firm, snappy texture.

You will need a parchment lined baking sheet or a silpat mat. Ultimately, make sure your surface is flat. Along with your tempered chocolate you will need crushed pretzels. I don’t have a specified amount since the amount of pretzels you use will be to your liking.

Pour your chocolate on your baking sheet and spread it out into a rectangle shape with a spatula. Reserve a small amount for drizzling. Sprinkle with the crushed pretzels and push them slightly into the chocolate. Drizzle with remaining chocolate. Refrigerate 30 minutes or at room temp for about an hour. Store in an airtight container for freshness

The second type of bark is Cranberry Cashew Chocolate Bark. You will follow the same process of tempering the chocolate and pouring it onto a baking sheet with parchment. Sprinkle with dried Cranberries and chopped cashews and let the bark cool before breaking into bits.