How to Make the Best Chocolate Bark (2024)

Learn how to make amazing gourmet chocolate bark this holiday season! This Easy Chocolate Bark recipe has everything you need to know about making milk or dark chocolate bark with tons of tips, tricks, topping ideas, and problems solved!

Homemade Chocolate Bark Recipes

Homemade chocolate bark makes the perfect Christmas and holiday recipe because it’s easy, versatile, and perfect for homemade gifts.

There are endless variations, toppings, and flavors for chocolate bark recipes. However, a lot of recipes for bark use vague instructions and leave a lot of questions unanswered.

Through research and experimenting myself, I’ve found even an easy chocolate bark recipe needs clarification. Below are some of the most commonly researched topics.

If you have a question not covered, leave me a comment at the end of the post, and I will be happy to help!

What is the best kind of chocolate to use for bark?

This question causes the largest discrepancy. Many recipes use regular chocolate chips as the primary ingredient, but this is a misguidance for good chocolate bark.

Although chocolate chips are affordable and readily available, using chocolate chips can be problematic because of the additives. They are manufactured to hold their shape, so they aren’t ideal for melting chocolates.

High quality chocolate bars are free of the additives chocolate chips have. Chocolatiers and gourmet recipes call for high-quality chocolate bars, but fail to name brands or where to locate this superior chocolate.

Although I’m certain expensive chocolate bars would yield some great results, I find it a little unreasonable. A large selling point of making homemade Christmas gifts, like this or chocolate covered popcorn, is frugality, and high-quality chocolate is extremely pricey!

I’ve found a happy medium between these two options. Using quality chocolate chips with a higher percentage of cocoa makes fantastic chocolate bark, but is still affordable and available at local grocery stores.

Preferred Chocolate To Use

If you love milk chocolate, rather than semi-sweet or dark, I recommend using a combination of milk and dark but with the brands listed below. Any of these chocolates would also work well gluten-free fudge as well.

• Guittard 63% Extra Dark Chocolate Chips
• Ghirardelli 60% Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
• Trader Joe’s Pound Plus Dark Chocolate Bars (54%)
• Ghirardelli 60% Bittersweet Baking Bar
• Guittard 64% Semisweet Baking Bar

Superior Chocolate To Use

• Valrhona 64% Chocolate
• Callebaut Belgian Semisweet Chocolate
• Scharfeen Berger Semisweet Dark Chocolate Bars

Quality White Chocolate

If you are a fan of white chocolate bark, please head over to my White Chocolate Bark recipe to find tips, topping ideas, and hacks!

• Guittard Choc- Au-Lait Vanilla Milk Chips
• Callebaut White Chocolate
• Ghirardelli White Melting Wafers

How to make chocolate bark

(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)

1. First line a baking pan with wax paper or parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Before you melt the chocolate you will want your toppings chopped and ready to go.
3. Melt the chocolate in one of the two methods outlined below for tempering chocolate, either in the microwave or on the stove. Properly tempered chocolate gives a shiny sheen and will not have white spots after hardening.
4. Pour the melted chocolate on the prepared rimmed baking sheet. Spread in an even layer and then scatter toppings on.
5. Allow the chocolate to harden at room temperature for 2-3 hours. Either break in pieces or use a knife to cut.

How To Temper Chocolate for Bark

Don’t let the fancy terms such as “temper” be discouraging. Tempering chocolate means melting chocolate to a temperature that breaks down the crystals in the cocoa butter. Although it may sound intimidating, it can actually easily be done in your microwave.

The benefit of tempering chocolate for bark is to give it shiny, glossy sheen. Chocolate that isn’t melted properly will be dull looking, streaky, or grainy. It will also be firm, break off with a snap, and hold it’s shape.

How to melt chocolate for bark in microwave

1. Place 2/3 chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl.
2. Microwave on high in 15-30 seconds intervals, stirring each time, until chips are completely melted. This will take about 2 minutes total, but watch carefully the last 45 seconds.
3. Add the remaining 1/3 chocolate and stir to combine and melt. Continue to stir until all the chocolate is melted, smooth, and glossy. Don’t be tempted to put it back in the microwave to finish melting the added chips. Let it sit a minute and stir again. It will eventually melt from the residual heat.

Stove top Tempered Chocolate

1. Chop chocolate bars in fine pieces so it melts quickly.
2. Place 2/3 of chopped chocolate in a double boiler. Make sure the water underneath isn’t boiling, just simmering gently. The water level shouldn’t be directly touching the top portion of the double boiler.
3. Use a rubber spoon spatula to stir chocolate occasionally until it reaches a temperature of 110ºF (This is my preferredinstant read thermometer because it reads temps in 2 seconds, which is perfect for candy making.)
4. Remove the top portion of the double broiler with melted chocolate from the heat. Add the remaining 1/3 chopped chocolate to the the melted chocolate.
5. Stir until remaining chocolate is melted. It will eventually melt from the residual heat. Ideally tempered chocolate should read a temperature of88°F- 90°F.

Topping Ideas

The possibilities are truly endless, but here are some popular favorites. Be creative as you want because, really, what doesn’t taste good with chocolate??🤔 Here are some of my favorite chocolate bark ideas!

• Salted Caramel Chocolate Bark (see recipe)
• Chocolate and Peanut Butter Tiger Butter (see recipe)
• Rocky Road – peanuts and miniature marshmallows
• S’mores – graham crackers and miniature marshmallows
• Toasted nuts – pistachios, cashews, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts
• Candied Pecans
• Dried fruits, such as raisins, cranberries, apricots, cherries, or pineapple
• Candy – chopped Snickers, Reese’s peanut butter cups, Heath bars, Butterfingers, M&M’s, Reese’s Pieces, Rolos
• Toasted coconut flakes
• Crushed candy canes for peppermint bark
• Crushed Oreos, Nutter Butters, or chocolate chip cookies
• Pretzels

Why is My Chocolate Bark Soft?

First of all, don’t add anything to the chocolate, such as oil or shortening.This makes the chocolate structure too malleable for bark.

If nothing extra was added to the melting chocolate, and it’s still soft, then perhaps the chocolate wasn’t heated to a high enough temperature to temper, or break down the crystals in the chocolate.

The bark is still salvageable, though. Simply store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

How to Store Chocolate Bark

Once the chocolate is set completely and broke into pieces, store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, ideally less than 70ºF. Properly tempered chocolate will keep for several weeks and doesn’t need to be refrigerated.

If you have to store it in the refrigerator, make sure it’s in an airtight container to prevent moisture, smells, or condensation spoiling the chocolate.

more expert Tips

• Make sure all your equipment is absolutely dry and free from any water droplets, otherwise your chocolate will seize and be grainy.
• Properly tempered chocolate will start to harden around the edges almost immediately.
• Be sure to spread the chocolate thinly, about 1/4″ thick. Using an offset spatula helps with getting the job done quickly and evenly.
• If your chocolate hardens, simply reheat using either technique for tempering chocolate, and use again.
• Don’t forget to line baking sheets with wax paper or parchment paper before spreading on melted chocolate.
• Have toppings ready to sprinkle onto melted chocolate. If the chocolate is starting to harden, press gently on the toppings to work into chocolate.
• Refrigerate for 10 minutes immediately after adding the toppings to set the chocolate.
• Don’t handle the bark to break into pieces until it’s fully hardened. Otherwise you’ll leave smudges or fingerprints on the chocolate.

How To Wrap Chocolate Bark For Gift Giving

• Candy Gift Boxes– I love these traditional ones because they can be used for multiple occasions. Wrap the box in ribbon coordinating with the season. Don’t forget a cute gift tag explaining the different types of bark and storing instructions.
• Candy Tins – These reusable ones are perfect for storing the bark in too. There’s also a variety of disposable ones. Be sure to include storing instructions.
• Candy Bags – Like the candy gift boxes and disposable candy tins, include a festive gift tag with storing instructions.
• Wrap as a candy bar – Cut the chocolate bark in large squares and wrap in a piece of wax paper. Then wrap plain brown paper or Christmas wrapping paper around the wax paper. Secure with tape and finish with ribbon and gift tag.

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Sources:

https://www.ghirardelli.com/tempering-chocolate

https://www.chowhound.com/post/chocolate-brand-holiday-chocolate-bark-670589?page=2

https://www.lakechamplainchocolates.com/how-to-store-chocolate