Tag Archives: bark

Dec 27

Avalanche Bark – Er, Balls

Have you tried Avalanche Bark yet? In case you’re not familiar with it, Avalanche Bark is a concoction that comes to us courtesy of the tasty and wonderful Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. A year or so ago, I stumbled upon a recipe for it on one of my favorite baking blogs, and I’ve been making my version of it ever since.

The best way to describe this creation is a jacked-up Rice Krispies treat. If you like those, you’re pretty much guaranteed to love Avalanche Bark. And the recipe itself couldn’t be easier. The only problem is that I sometimes have trouble cutting these into nicely formed squares – which is why I decided to improvise when my last batch came apart on me a lot during the portioning process. So half of my Avalanche Bark became Avalanche Balls. And you know what? That really didn’t end up being a problem.

Avbark

Avalanche Bark

Recipe from Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients:

12 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 and 1/2 cups Rice Krispies
1 and 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips

Method:

  1. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. Place the miniature chocolate chips on a plate and store in the freezer until ready to use.
  2. Combine the white chocolate and peanut butter in a medium bowl and microwave on 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring after each zap, until completely melted. Remove from microwave, stir in Rice Krispies, and let the mixture cool for about 15-20 minutes.
  3. Stir in the miniature marshmallows followed by the miniature chocolate chips.
  4. Pour the mixture into your prepared pan and press into an even layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until set.
  5. Use a very sharp knife to cut into squares. If your mixture comes apart on you, don’t worry – just use your fingers to form it into balls and stick your new creations back into the fridge to reset that way.
  6. Store your Avalanche Bark in the fridge in an airtight container. It’ll keep for several days if you don’t devour it first.

avballs

 

And here’s the bite-sized ball version. Part of me almost likes these better. Maybe I’ll make them this way on purpose the next time around.

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.
Dec 20

Chocolate Macadamia Toffee Bark

As I mentioned earlier this week, I’ve been deep into candy-making mode. The great thing about making your own holiday bark is that you can feel free to get as creative as you’d like with the flavors and textures you most enjoy. Along these lines, I present my chocolate macadamia toffee bark: an easy recipe to follow, and a delicious one to snack on once it’s done.

Chocolate Macadamia Toffee Bark

mactoffeebarj

Ingredients:

2 cups milk chocolate morsels or melting discs
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
2/3 cup toffee bits, plus another 1/3 cup for topping
3/4 cup white chocolate morsels or baking discs

Method:

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Melt the milk 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 might seize.
  3. Once melted, quickly stir in the chopped macadamia nuts and 2/3 cup toffee bits.
  4. Pour the chocolate mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, using the back of a spoon or a spatula to spread it evenly.
  5. Melt the white chocolate using the methods described above.
  6. Once melted, use the back of a spoon or a knife to swirl it around on top of the milk chocolate layer.
  7. Sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup toffee bits on top of the newly poured white chocolate, using your fingers to press in the bits as needed to get them to stick.
  8. Place the baking sheet in the fridge and leave for at least one hour to set before breaking into pieces.
Jun 7

White Chocolate Coconut Butterscotch Bark

Ever meet one of those people who claims he or she doesn’t like sweets? That’s exactly the type of story a friend of mine tried to stick to recently when I offered her a piece of my latest concoction.

“No thanks,” she had answered. “You know me; I don’t really go for sweets.”

My response? “Um, okay, more for me then.”

And so I proceeded to help myself to a piece (or three) of candy as we sat in my living room chatting, and at some point during the conversation, she suddenly had a change of heart and decided she wanted a taste. I of course obliged, and 10 minutes later, I found myself prying the plate of confections out of her hands for fear that Miss I Don’t Like Sweets would singlehandedly devour my entire supply in a single sitting (or at least that’s the scenario that played out in my head…in reality, all I could do was sit there and watch in horror as she took down piece after piece).

Anyway, the fact that my adamantly anti-sweets visitor couldn’t stop herself from eating this candy is a testament to how good it is. And the best part about this concoction is that it’s so incredibly easy to make. Just toast some coconut, mix in some melted chocolate, and wait (not so) patiently as it sets in the fridge. Then bust it out and get ready to convert even the biggest non-believers in all things sugary sweet.

cocobark

White Chocolate Coconut Butterscotch Bark

Ingredients:
2 cups sweetened coconut, toasted and divided into 4 equal parts
1 and ½ cups white chocolate
1 cup butterscotch chips

Method:
1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
2. Toast coconut in the oven or microwave; set aside.
3. Heat the white chocolate in the microwave at 50% power for 30-second intervals, stirring in between. Once melted, stir ¼ of the toasted coconut into the chocolate. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and use an offset spatula to spread it around. Top with ¼ of the coconut.
4. Heat the butterscotch chips in the microwave using the method described above. Once melted, stir in ¼ of the coconut. Pour over the white chocolate and coconut layers and use a spoon to swirl it around. Top with remaining coconut and let set in the fridge for 1-2 hours. Once set, use a sharp knife or your hands to break into pieces.
5. Be careful when offering to friends—your supply may start to dwindle too rapidly for comfort.

May 28

Crazy Bark

Sometimes I like to get a little nutty in the kitchen, especially when said nuttiness can be achieved without investing a significant amount of time. I invented this concoction awhile back and decided to whip up a batch recently. I call it Crazy Bark, ‘cause, well, it’s a little insane.

How do I describe what this is? In a nutshell, it’s like a s’more and a peanut chew collided to make one supremely indulgent concoction. I mean, take a look at the ingredients. You’ve got chocolate and peanut butter. You’ve got caramel. You’ve got graham crackers and marshmallows. What more could you ask for?

crazybrk

Crazy Bark

Ingredients:

For the bottom layer:
1 cup semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup dark chocolate
1/3 cup lightly salted peanuts
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup chopped marshmallows (not mini marshmallows—you want smaller pieces here)
1 graham cracker, chopped

For the top layer:
1/2 cup caramel chips (if you can’t find these, feel free to use butterscotch or peanut butter chips instead; or, just double the amount of caramel and milk indicated below)
6-8 Kraft caramels, unwrapped
1 tbsp whole milk (you can use another type of milk if you don’t typically have whole milk on hand)
1/3 cup chopped marshmallows
1/3 cup chopped graham crackers

Method:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Melt the semisweet chocolate, dark chocolate, and peanut butter in the microwave on 50% power at 30-second intervals, stirring in between. Once melted, stir in the peanuts, marshmallows, and graham cracker. Pour the mixture into your prepared baking sheet and refrigerate until set (1-2 hours).
3. Once the bottom layer has set, combine the caramel chips, caramels, and milk in a bowl and melt the mixture in the microwave. Once melted, stir in the marshmallows and graham crackers. Pour the mixture over the bottom layer and return to the fridge to set (another 1-2 hours).
4. Once the bark has set, use a sharp knife (or your hands) to break into pieces. Try not to eat entire batch all at once.