Easy Dark Chocolate Bark

Chocolate bark is one of those things that you see in a store, and you think to yourself “How can they be charging 10 bucks for that? I could totally make that at home…” And you’re absolutely right, you can make it at home, and with little effort.

This is something that’s great for giving as a gift, because the recipient will think you spent way more time and effort on it than you actually did, especially if you put it in some cute little box. You can top it with just about anything to fit anyone’s taste, and it should last for at least a couple weeks if you keep it sealed in something. Not that it will, because you’ll certainly consume it all before then, but it should.

How to Make a Really Good Chocolate Bark

To keep it really easy, we’re going to forego the actual making of the chocolate (no, I’ve never really made chocolate from scratch) and start with a good big bar of dark chocolate (or milk, if that’s what you prefer). Trader Joe’s has a nice-sized bar that we use for this.

Melt a chunk (or all) of this in a saucepan over low heat. I know just about every recipe that calls for melting chocolate will tell you to use a double boiler or water bath or something like that (you certainly can if your’e more comfortable with that), but I have never had a problem melting it directly in a saucepan. Just keep the heat low and don’t walk away. If you don’t follow those guidelines and it burns, I take no responsibility.

After the chocolate has melted, spread it on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. While it’s still soft, sprinkle on the toppings. This can be something basic like chopped nuts or dried fruit, something festive like crushed candy cane (great Christmas present!), or even fancier, like lavender and rosemary. If you really want to take it up a notch, stir a few drops of an essential oil like orange or lemon into the chocolate after it’s melted!

Let it cool to harden, then break it into pieces.