Easy homemade chocolate bark recipe
Chocolate bark is one of those throw-together treats that looks like you fussed for hours, even though it’s really melt, swirl, chill, done. This patriotic red white and blue version is my go-to for summer parties, but you can switch up the colors for any holiday.
Servings: 12 - 15 pieces
Ingredients
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels
- 2 cups white chocolate morsels
- ½ cup red candy melts
- ½ cup white candy melts
- ½ cup blue candy melts
- 1 tablespoon red, white, and blue star sprinkles
- ¼ cup red, white, and blue M&M’s
Optional helpers:
- 2 teaspoons refined coconut oil 1 teaspoon per cup of chocolate for extra shine
- Binder clips to keep the parchment from sliding
Instructions
Prep the pan
- Line your 13 × 9 pan with parchment, leaving enough overhang on two sides to lift the bark out later. If the paper slips, clamp it with binder clips.
Melt the semi-sweet chocolate
- Put the chips in a dry, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 50 percent power for 20 second bursts, stirring each time. Low power plus short bursts prevents scorching. Stir in 1 teaspoon coconut oil for extra gloss if you like.
Pour, tap, chill
- Scrape the melted chocolate into the pan and spread it to an even ⅛ inch. Knock the pan on the counter a few times to pop air bubbles. Chill for about 10 minutes until the surface is set but not rock hard.
Melt the white chocolate
- White chocolate burns quicker. Drop the microwave power to 30 percent and heat in 15 second bursts. For bakery-window shine, melt two thirds of the chips, then stir in the remaining third off heat until smooth.
Add the white layer
- Pour the white chocolate over the firm but still cool semi-sweet layer. Gently nudge it to the edges so the two layers bond.
Drizzle the colors
- Warm each candy-melt packet in a mug of hot water so it flows easily. Snip a corner and drizzle red, extra white, and blue stripes across the pan. Drag a toothpick through the drizzle in short S curves for a quick marble effect. Stop swirling as soon as you like the look.
Top it off
- Keep sprinkles and M&M’s in small bowls for quick grabbing. While the drizzle is still tacky, shower on the toppings, then press lightly with a clean palm to anchor heavier candies.
Final set
- Chill the pan for 10 to 15 minutes to lock everything in place, then let the bark finish setting at room temperature. Staying out of the fridge after that prevents condensation (the cloudy film called sugar bloom).
Break or cut
- Lift the bark out by its parchment sling. For rustic shards, flip the sheet upside down and snap with your hands. Prefer neat squares? Score lines with a pizza cutter when the chocolate is firm but not rock hard, about 8 to 10 minutes after you pull it from the fridge.
Store and serve
- Layer pieces between parchment in an airtight container and keep in a cool, dry cupboard for up to two weeks. If you’re making this ahead, avoid the freezer unless you double-wrap the bark and let it thaw overnight while still wrapped so condensation forms on the wrapper, not the chocolate.
Notes
Flavor swaps and holiday spins
- Halloween: orange and black candy melts, candy corn on top
- Christmas: green and red melts, crushed peppermint candies
- Easter: pastel melts, mini chocolate eggs
- Extra crunch: stir 2 tablespoons crushed pretzels into the semi-sweet layer
- Flavor boost: add ¼ teaspoon oil-based peppermint or almond extract to the white chocolate
- Chocolate seized and clumpy? Stir in ½ teaspoon neutral oil per ounce until smooth.
- Layers separated? Pour the white layer while the dark layer is set but still slightly cool, not fridge-cold.
- Colors look dull or chalky? Use oil-based candy coloring rather than water-based gels.