With the holidays right around the corner, our minds quickly turn to yummy sweets. The top of my list … chocolate bark.

I love making chocolate bark because it is so darn easy, and impressive. It is fantastic for:

• Bringing to pot luck dinners
• Giving as gifts wrapped in cellophane or stored in pretty mason jars
• Nibbling on throughout the holidays

What Chocolate to Use

I like to use bittersweet or dark chocolate (70-85%) for my bark. Pairing dark chocolate with the sweetness of the peanut butter chips makes a treat that is not overly sweet. You can use milk chocolate or white chocolate, but just make sure that it is good quality.

Heating the Chocolate

The chocolate can be melted in a double boiler on the stove top or in the microwave. To make sure the chocolate sets up properly:

• If using a double boiler*, make sure the water is simmering – not boiling. Melt the chocolate slowly.
• If using the microwave, heat for 30 seconds at a time on 50 – 75% power. Stir after every heating cycle.
• Whether using the stove or microwave, stir often and do not allow the temperature to get over 90 °F (32 °C). If it gets hotter than this, or is heated too quickly, the chocolate will “break” and will not set up properly.

*What is a double boiler: it is just a bowl placed on top of a pot with water in it. Make sure that the bowl is larger than the pot.

Peanut Butter Chips

Peanut butter chips can be found in the baking section of the grocery store. They are made for baking into cookies, etc.

Do not use regular peanut butter because it will not set up like the chips will. One way I have heard of substituting peanut butter is if you layer the chocolate and peanut butter. If you want to do this:

• Melt and spread out a layer of chocolate
• Allow it harden a bit before adding the heated peanut butter
• Add a layer of melted peanut butter (just heat it in a pan until it is liquidy)
• Allow the peanut butter to cool
• Spread another layer of melted chocolate over the peanut butter layer
• Allow all of it to cool and set. Then cut.

Add Your Imagination

This recipe is fantastic as is. But, you can easily substitute the peanut butter chips for other toppings:

• Dried fruit
• Finely chopped nuts
• Crushed candy canes
• Coconut

As long as you have a good chocolate base, you are all set. Sprinkle any toppings you want onto the chocolate before it sets.

To set up the chocolate, leave for 2 hours in a cool, dry location, or refrigerate for about 30 minutes. If you plan on giving this as a gift, make sure that you make a test batch first.

---

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bark Recipe

Print Recipe

Servings	Prep/Cook Time	Cook Time
10	7 minutes	2 Hours

DIRECTIONS