Here at Food52, we love recipes -- but do we always use them? Of course not. Because once you realize you don't always need a recipe, you'll make your favorite dishes a lot more often.
Today: Chocolate bark is the easiest (and prettiest) gift you can make, and there are no rules -- and no recipe required. Ben Mims shows us how.
When it comes to candy making, there’s nothing simpler or more satisfying than chocolate bark. There’s no fiddling with wayward candy thermometers, stirring until your arm cramps, or boiling sugar napalm to steer clear of for fear of burning your flesh; just melted chocolate and whatever crunchy goodies you fancy. It looks beautiful in a scattered, organic Pollack kinda way, which explains why it’s synonymous with gift giving during the holidays.
The most popular during Christmastime is crushed peppermint candies over white chocolate, sporting the vivid red and white we expect, and producing that velvety after-dinner mint texture and taste we need after large festive meals. Dark chocolate with dried fruits or nuts is a classic as well, but why stop there? Virtually any ready-made snack product can work in a bark: roasted pumpkin seeds, dried coconut flakes, chile-lime Corn Nuts, coffee beans, dried mango, wasabi peas, BBQ potato chips; if you can think of a flavor, odds are, it’ll taste great in chocolate. And even the simplest touches -- a pinch of smoked sea salt, a dusting of crushed cardamom seeds -- can be just as dramatic.
Traditional chocolate candy making requires knowledge of tempering to make sure the finished chocolate product sets well and looks shiny and beautiful. Basically, it involves heating and cooling melted chocolate to certain stages, thus aligning the fats in a way where they coalesce into a uniform final product; it’s a laborious process and can dissuade many from the candy making process altogether.
More: If you want to get fancy and temper your chocolate, here's how.
My method -- melting most of the chocolate and then cooling it down with some chopped chocolate -- is easy and increases your odds of getting a flawless final product, but there’s a chance it could still bloom, the term for when the fats don’t align and produce white streaks or dots on the surface of the chocolate. If you were making chocolate-dipped cherries or truffles, where the chocolate is all that will be seen, then this would be a problem. But with bark, it’s hardly noticeable with all those toppings. And if you’re still nervous about its appearance, just add more toppings until the chocolate is barely visible ... or use white chocolate, since the bloom can’t be seen against its pale surface.
How to Make Chocolate Bark Without a Recipe
1. Now, to the fun part: Chop one pound of white, milk, or dark chocolate into fairly fine pieces and transfer three-quarters to a microwave-safe glass bowl. Heat at 50% power for 30 seconds, and then stir with a rubber spatula; repeat heating and stirring in 30-second intervals until chocolate is melted and smooth. Add remaining chocolate, and stir with a rubber spatula until just melted.
2. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper, and pour the chocolate on top.
3. Using the rubber spatula, or better yet an offset spatula, spread the chocolate until about 1/4-inch thick, letting it form whatever shape it takes naturally.
4. Then, start sprinkling: salted peanuts and cashews with dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots is classic, but you can go crazy with whatever you like -- chopped peanut butter cups, toasted pine nuts, candied lavender, or cheddar popcorn. For one pound of chocolate, you’ll need approximately 2 cups total of whatever topping you choose, but if you want more or less, adjust as you wish. The beauty of chocolate bark is in its limitless versatility.
5. Let the chocolate cool until set, at least 4 hours in a cool part of your kitchen, or 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Break up into bite-size shards and load up into clear plastic bags or pretty jars for storage or to give as gifts. Make sure to write what’s in the chocolate bark on gift tags so the recipient knows what kooky creation they’ll be enjoying during the holidays.
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Photos by James Ransom
FAQs
Chocolate Bark is the easiest 5-ingredient snack you'll ever whip up. All you need are 5 simple (and completely customizable!) ingredients – chocolate, pepitas, dried cherries, coconut flakes, and any type of nuts.
Can I use aluminum foil for bark? ›
You'll need parchment paper to make the recipe work properly; don't try to replace it with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. The bark looks attractive either cut or broken into ragged pieces. I pllace in cookie boxes lined with red cellophane. Keep refrigerated for freshness.
How long does it take bark to harden? ›
Let the chocolate bark harden at room temperature which will take 2-4 hours. If you live in a hot climate or you are in a hurry, place the tray on a flat surface in the refrigerator (or even in the freezer) to harden for about 15 minutes; Once completely hardened use your hands to break the bark into pieces.
What is bark made out of? ›
However, a tree's armor, called bark, is not made of heavy metal. Its outer layer, which we see, is composed of dead cells that become filled with a corklike substance and air. The inner bark, called Phloem, contains living cells and transports food from the leaves to other parts of the tree, including the roots.
How to make chocolate bark that doesn't melt? ›
To keep your chocolate bark from melting, a proper tempering process is necessary. Tempering is a process where the chocolate is brought to certain temperatures, which essentially optimizes the form of the cocoa butter fat crystals and keeps it stable.
How do you pipe chocolate on a cake? ›
Create easy decorations for cakes by piping chocolate onto non-stick acetate, baking parchment or a silicone mat. Fill a piping bag with tempered chocolate and snip off the tip. Slowly and steadily draw any shape you like with the chocolate onto your sheet or silicone mat. You could try hearts, spirals or waffles.
How do you make smoke on a cake? ›
Making it smoke –
We used 1kg of Dry Ice pellets – this enabled us to do over 20 'explosions' on the day! You must be careful when handling dry ice (wear gloves and use tongs to transfer it into the cup), once the ice was inside the plastic cup we carefully poured hot water into the top to make it 'smoke'.
Is almond bark like chocolate? ›
Almond bark (also known as vanilla flavored candy coating) is a chocolate-like confection made with vegetable fats instead of cocoa butter and with coloring and flavors added. It can be bought in packages, blocks, or round discs where candy and baking supplies are sold.
What is pink butcher paper used for? ›
Pink butcher paper helps to infuse your brisket, pork, ribs, turkey or other meats with that irresistible smoky flavor, and locks in moisture, keeping your meat from drying out, while protecting the crisp bark.
How do you store homemade bark? ›
Homemade chocolate bark will last in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks. I recommend storing it in the fridge to ensure that the chocolate doesn't melt! Storing for longer? Wrap the chocolate bark tightly in a couple layers of plastic wrap and keep it in the freezer for up to 6 months.
That's because your chocolate wasn't tempered. Tempered chocolate sets at room temperature and has a snap just like a chocolate bar you buy from the store.
What brand of chocolate is best for bark? ›
Use quality chocolate.
For bark-making, use the best chocolate within your budget, either in bars or discs meant for melting and baking. Valrhona, Callebaut, Scharffen Berger, Guittard, and Ghirardelli are all good options.
Do you have to temper chocolate for bark? ›
It is true purchased chocolate bark is made with tempered chocolate—that's why the surface looks shiny, the bark keeps well at room temperature, and it snaps nicely when you bite or break it. And I know tempering is a skill many home cooks don't have or don't have patience to learn.
What is the difference between chocolate and chocolate bark? ›
From the name alone, chocolate bark doesn't sound particularly appetizing. Chocolate bark is actually a sheet of chocolate that is usually covered with nuts, dried fruits, candies or even additional pieces of chocolate.
Why is it called chocolate bark? ›
Once the chocolate has cooled, it's then cut up or broken into smaller pieces. It's easy to see, then, why the most commonly accepted origin of chocolate "bark" comes from the fact that the treat, when finished, resembles the craggy surface of a tree.
Is chocolate bark the same as candy coating? ›
However, they are not exactly the same. While both almond bark and vanilla candy coating are types of chocolate coatings used for dipping or coating various desserts, there are subtle differences in their composition and flavors.
