MEXICAN CHOCOLATE BARK
Before winter is officially over… you should make this bark! It is such a great winter (and spring and summer and fall) treat, with the chocolate and spices and pistachios and salt. Yum.
Homemade Mexican hot chocolate has basically gotten me through this long, cold winter. Once I realized how easy it is to make my own hot chocolate (and how much better tasting than the packaged variety), I started making it ALL THE TIME. Oops!
Over the years, I have made various types of chocolate bark to serve at parties. It is so quick and easy, and the final product is always so good! So, for a friend’s recent Christmas tree-trimming party, I decided to make bark inspired by my new-found love for Mexican hot chocolate. The cayenne really gives the bark a punch and it was a big hit with my friends. Enjoy!
Over the years, I have made various types of chocolate bark to serve at parties. It is so quick and easy, and the final product is always so good! So, for a friend’s recent Christmas tree-trimming party, I decided to make bark inspired by my new-found love for Mexican hot chocolate. The cayenne really gives the bark a punch and it was a big hit with my friends. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
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1 12 oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp cayenne (more if you want your chocolate really hot) 1 tsp vanilla ½ cup pistachios (salted or unsalted), shelled and chopped into small pieces sea salt (coarse grain if available) |
Directions:
Melt chocolate chips in a glass or metal bowl, set over a small pot of boiling water, until smooth. Remove from heat and add cinnamon, cayenne and vanilla. Mix until well combined.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Pour melted chocolate onto the parchment paper until an even layer is formed. Use a spatula to smooth the chocolate if necessary. (The chocolate layer will be relatively thin, but avoid spreading it around the cookie sheet too much, otherwise the layer will become too thin to break properly once cooled).
While the chocolate is still tacky, sprinkle the chopped pistachios and sea salt over the chocolate until the desired amount is reached.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is best) until the chocolate is completely hard. Break into small pieces for easy snacking and store in a sealed container (in the refrigerator is recommended). The bark keeps for up to one week.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Pour melted chocolate onto the parchment paper until an even layer is formed. Use a spatula to smooth the chocolate if necessary. (The chocolate layer will be relatively thin, but avoid spreading it around the cookie sheet too much, otherwise the layer will become too thin to break properly once cooled).
While the chocolate is still tacky, sprinkle the chopped pistachios and sea salt over the chocolate until the desired amount is reached.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is best) until the chocolate is completely hard. Break into small pieces for easy snacking and store in a sealed container (in the refrigerator is recommended). The bark keeps for up to one week.