Hellobee

Today I have a homemade candy that’s not only great for Valentine’s Day – either to give to as a gift or to follow up a romantic dinner – but is also an easy treat to adapt to any holiday. Once you know how simple it is to make chocolate bark, you can make it for any season, changing up the toppings as you wish. I love this triple berry version, both because the colors are on theme for Valentine’s Day and the contrast of dark chocolate and sweet-tart berries keeps me hooked bite after bite.

So have you ever made chocolate bark before? If you haven’t, have no fear, because it’s as simple as melting chocolate and spreading it on a lined sheet pan to cool. For the bark pictured, I used 40 ounces of chocolate, but if you want a thinner candy or more even ratio of chocolate to toppings, you can use 30 ounces instead. Next time, I think I’ll cut it into smaller pieces, because as shown they were too big for one serving. I mean, I’m not complaining, but I do recommend smaller pieces for gifting. I haven’t tried it yet, but I think this would also look and taste amazing using white chocolate. If you give it a try, let me know!

Triple Berry Chocolate Bark

30-40 ounces dark chocolate, chips or finely chopped
3-4 ounces freeze dried fruit (I used strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries)

Line a 16-inch x 12-inch sheet pan with parchment paper. Add the chocolate to the bowl of a double boiler, or one that fits tightly over a pot. Fill the pot with 1 inch water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, place the bowl with the chocolate on top, and stir occasionally until the chocolate is just melted.

Pour the chocolate onto the prepared sheet pan and use a spoonula or offset spatula to spread the chocolate in an even layer to the edges of the pan. sprinkle with the freeze dried fruit. Cool until hardened, at least 2 hours. Cut or break into pieces.