30+ Creative takes on Chocolate Bark Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Do you need to temper chocolate for chocolate bark? ›

Tempered chocolate is wonderful to use when making homemade candy, such as truffles or peanut butter cups, or peppermint bark, because it maintains a nice smooth, shiny, and hard texture even at room temperature.

Cellophane bags, kraft boxes or any kind of pastry box is perfect. You can arrange it on a pretty tray for a gift that lasts after the bark is finished. And if you want to go “extra” you can keep the bark in the pan and tie a chocolate breaking hammer to the pan with a ribbon so the recipients can have at it!

Stored in an airtight container in the fridge the homemade chocolate bark recipe will stay good for 2-3 weeks. If you decide to leave the chocolate bark out at room temperature it will last for about 5 days. Therefore, I definitely recommend storing it in the fridge to extend the bark's shelf life.

That's because your chocolate wasn't tempered. Tempered chocolate sets at room temperature and has a snap just like a chocolate bar you buy from the store.

It could be that your room temperature is too high. If the temperature is over 68 F, this can cause problems. The ideal setting temperature is between 65 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit. It could also be that the chocolate wasn't tempered, because untempered chocolate takes quite a bit longer to set.

Above: Because chocolate bark is usually jagged, irregularly shaped pieces, I think glassine bags (shown) or a small box work best for packaging. As for tying it all together, natural twine is my go-to; most times bright, colorful ribbon overshadows what's inside. Don't forget to add a personal note to the recipient.

And while candy melts are great for cake pops, in a recipe like this, you'll really taste the difference between actual chocolate and candy melts. I recommend Ghirardelli, Guittard, or Baker's brand bars of chocolate when making bark.

Let the kids decorate, using small pretzels to make antlers, smarties for noses and mini marshmallows for snowmen. To give them as a gift, break up the bark into shards and wrap in a cellophane bag with a pretty ribbon.

To keep your chocolate bark from melting, a proper tempering process is necessary. Tempering is a process where the chocolate is brought to certain temperatures, which essentially optimizes the form of the cocoa butter fat crystals and keeps it stable.

Cocoa butter is the best option as it's the natural fat present in chocolate. Alternatively, you can use a bit of vegetable oil or shortening. Start by adding just a small amount (a teaspoon for every 100 grams of chocolate should suffice), stir it in, and see if the chocolate is thin enough for your needs.

How do you keep chocolate bark from sticking? ›

The simple approach is to skip the wire rack and place the dipped confections on parchment paper, waxed paper or a silicone mat. (Some use plastic wrap or aluminum foil, but this may stick as well. Oiling helps.) After cooling, they should come off easily.

Chocolate turning white is due to processes known as 'fat bloom' and 'sugar bloom'. These happen when the cocoa butter or sugar in the chocolate reacts to changes in temperature or exposure to moisture, leading to a white or greyish coating on the surface.

Dark chocolate, with its higher cacao content, can be good to eat for as long as three years past the best before. Due to their high milk contents, milk and white chocolates might not last as long as dark, but their longevity is still nothing to sniff at — you can expect to get another 8 months or so out of it.

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.

If chocolate is not tempered properly, the cocoa butter crystallization is uncontrolled and uneven, resulting in a dull, streaky appearance. Untempered chocolate may feel rough or tacky with an almost chewy texture and is more susceptible to melting in hand.

The only time you may not need tempered chocolate is when you do not require that snap, texture, or glossy appearance. For example, if you are using it to make a cake batter, as part of a ganache and pipe it in between cake layers, or as a liquid filling inside a lava cake.

The only time you really need to temper chocolate at home is when you're making your own chocolates or perhaps to give your desserts a glossy, hard chocolate finish.