Dec 26

White Chocolate Pistachio Cranberry Bark

So yeah, clearly I’ve been making (and, ahem, eating) a lot of holiday candy lately. The latest offering I have to share with you is this delicious white chocolate bark studded with dried cranberries and pistachios. I’ve seen and tried the white chocolate-cranberry-pistachio combo in everything from candy to cookies to blondies to cake, and it seems to work magically every time. And as is the case with many of my bark recipes, this one is incredibly easy to pull off. If you’re looking for a yummy holiday snack to bring to a party, this one is sure to enhance the festivities.

craisinpistachio

White Chocolate Pistachio Cranberry Bark

Ingredients:

2 cups white chocolate morsels or melting discs
3/4 cup chopped pistachios, plus 1/4 cup for topping
3/4 cup dried cranberries, plus 1/4 cup for topping

Method:

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Melt the white chocolate using either a double boiler or the microwave at 50% power for 30-second increments. Pay attention to your chocolate and remove it from the heat once it’s mostly melted (if needed, use a spoon to stir any remaining lumps until they’re totally melted and well-integrated).
  3. Once your chocolate is melted, quickly stir in 3/4 cup pistachios and 3/4 cup dried cranberries.
  4. Pour the chocolate mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, using the back of a spoon or a spatula to spread it evenly.
  5. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup pistachios and 1/4 cup dried cranberries on top.
  6. Place the baking sheet in the fridge and leave for at least one hour to set before breaking into pieces.
Dec 25

Chocolate Nutella Sea Salt Bark

I’m not really a salty snack kind of person. Put a bag of chips in front of me, and I’ll most probably pass. But what I do love is that classic salty-sweet combination, and so I decided to create a candy bark that offered up the best of both worlds. Enjoy!

nutellabark

Chocolate Nutella Sea Salt Bark

Ingredients:

1 cup milk chocolate morsels or melting discs
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels or melting discs
2/3 cup Nutella
1/2 cup white chocolate morsels or melting discs
Pink Himalayan sea salt, for topping

Method:

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Combine the milk chocolate, semisweet chocolate, and Nutella in a medium bowl and melt in the microwave at 50% power for 30-second increments. Pay attention to the mixture and remove it from the heat once it’s mostly melted.
  3. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, using the back of a spoon or a spatula to spread it evenly.
  4. Melt the white chocolate using the methods described above.
  5. Once melted, use the back of a spoon or a knife to swirl it around on top of the milk chocolate layer.
  6. Sprinkle sea salt generously on top.
  7. Place the baking sheet in the fridge and leave for at least one hour to set before breaking into pieces.
Dec 24

Caramel Coconut Cashew Bark

Can you tell how much I just love candy? The latest installment in my holiday baking rotation is this awesome caramel coconut cashew bark. Imagine rich dark chocolate stuffed and topped with slightly salty cashews, gooey caramel, and heavenly toasted coconut. I mean, really, does it get much better?

coccashew

Caramel Coconut Cashew Bark

Ingredients:

2 cups dark chocolate morsels or melting discs
3/4 cup chopped cashews
2/3 cup caramel sauce (you can make your own by combining about 12 Kraft caramel candies with a tablespoon of milk or cream), divided in half
1 cup toasted coconut

Method:

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Melt the dark chocolate using either a double boiler or the microwave at 50% power for 30-second increments. Pay attention to your chocolate and remove it from the heat once it’s mostly melted. If you leave it too long, your chocolate could seize on you.
  3. Once melted, quickly stir in the chopped cashews and 1/3 cup caramel sauce.
  4. Pour the chocolate mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, using the back of a spoon or a spatula to spread it evenly.
  5. Use the back of a spoon or a knife to swirl the remaining 1/3 cup caramel sauce on top of the chocolate layer.
  6. Quickly sprinkle the toasted coconut on top, using your hands as needed to press it into the mixture.
  7. Place the baking sheet in the fridge and leave it for at least one hour to set before breaking into pieces.