What is ‘chocolate bark’? And how to create it

Say hello to your new cacao craving. Chocolate bark combines the distinctive snap of cacao-rich chocolate with lashings of tempting toppings… 

From candy canes to fleur de sel, it’s infinitely customisable and easy to make — no wonder it’s a celebratory staple on both sides of the Atlantic.

What is chocolate bark?

There are two distinct versions of chocolate bark. To learn the origins of this delectable treat, we’ll travel to Southern France. In the lavender-scented air of Provence, chocolate drops known as mendiants or beggars take their place among the traditional 13 Desserts every Christmas.

These crisp, elegant discs of chocolate are garnished with dried fruit and nuts to represent the four monastic orders. It’s the quintessential example of how chocolate acts as a canvas for just about any flavour — the dark, rich cacao is a delectable backdrop to the crisp crunch of nuts and the satisfying chew of dried figs and apricots for plenty of ooh la la.

How mendiants crossed the Atlantic and became chocolate bark is lost in time. Safe to say, American bark is different in every way from its European counterpart — from cacao percentages to those satisfying and eclectic mix-ins. The shape underwent a transatlantic metamorphosis, transforming from discs to lavish sheets of chocolate resembling tree bark — hence the name.

Nowadays, this easy-to-make treat pairs white or cacao-rich chocolate with peppermint sticks, potato crisps or anything else you fancy. The result? The perfect pairing of decadent chocolate and textural surprise.

What chocolate to use for your bark?

Let’s start with the fundamentals. The quality of your finished bark stands or falls on the quality of the chocolate, so use the best you can afford. Our Batons and Slabs are high in cacao and cacao butter for indulgently velvety results.

Chocolate bark can feel like pure nostalgia, brimming with childhood treats. Peppermint bark made with dark or milk chocolate feels like a decades-old Christmas favourite, while white chocolate bark makes freeze-dried raspberries and dried cranberries pop.

Almond bark is a classic combination, brimming with nutty creaminess that shows off both ingredients to their best advantage. But if you crave something even more decadent, try crafting your next batch from our Caramel Chocolate Slab. Marble it with white or dark chocolate for a spectacular gift that’s bound to make a splash.

Chocolate combination inspiration

We love these chocolate bark flavours at any time of year, but there’s no doubt they make impressive gifts for special occasions:

• Dark chocolate bark with gingerbread and crystallised ginger, ancho chilli and sea salt, dried mango, papaya, and lime peel for a simple yet sophisticated treat.
  
• Milk chocolate bark with toasted pecans and caramel, salted peanuts and pretzels, or kataifi browned in butter with pistachios and tahini for the viral Dubai chocolate vibe.
  
• White chocolate bark with pistachios and pomegranate seeds, coconut and candied citrus, or candied rose petals and pink peppercorns make a delectable Valentine’s Day treat.

A step-by-step guide on how to make chocolate bark at home

Ready to create your own delectable fun-laden treats? Let’s dive right in.

The best thing about chocolate bark is that you don’t need to measure ingredients or follow a recipe. Just let your imagination and palate run riot — sardine and white chocolate, anyone? 

It’s real kitchen magic: a handful of ingredients transform into irresistible chocolate shards to gift or nibble with a creamy, cacao-forward hot chocolate—pure chocolate decadence and easy to rustle up in minutes.

1. Assemble your add-ins

Decide what gooey, nutty, creamy mix-ins will elevate your signature bark. Nuts, dried fruits, banana chips, caramel, pretzels, mini marshmallows, your favourite sprinkles, biscuit shards, or breakfast cereal all pair effortlessly with velvety chocolate. Chop, crush or dice ready to use. 

2. Melt your chocolate

Your mix-ins might be the stars, but the velvety cacao shows them off to perfection. 

Our tips on melting chocolate will get you started, providing the techniques needed for everything from opulent chocolate-dipped strawberries to glossy ganache.

But for pro levels of chocolatier snap and melt, you need to master the art of tempering (don’t worry, our beginner’s guide covers all the bases).

 3. Get creative 

For American-style chocolate bark, mix in your garnishes, then spread the chocolate on a parchment-paper-lined tray. Sprinkle with edible glitter for extra pizzazz, and let it set. 

You could also create layered bark, with swirls and marbles of dark, white and milk chocolates for a striking look.

Alternatively, why not use one batch of melted chocolate to create more than one flavour combination? You’ll get twice the decadence with no extra effort. 

For French-style bark, pour pools or a slab of your melted chocolate and scatter your garnishes over the top. A drift of sea salt is optional but really intensifies and elevates the cacao flavour.

Now leave your bark to set in a cool place — don’t be tempted to hurry it along in the fridge. Water and chocolate aren’t a good combination, and you could spoil the look of your luscious confection.

4. Shatter and shape

If you want to create fun shapes from your chocolate sheet, use a cutter before it’s completely set. Otherwise, wrap it as it is or break it into voluptuous shards for dunking. 

Gifting made gorgeous

Homemade gifts are the best kind of gifts. And what could be better than hand-crafted chocolate bark that’s personalised with their favourite cravings?

Presenting your chocolate gifts is half the fun. And we love these impactful ways to dress up your chocolate bark:

• Pop your peppermint bark in a cellophane bag and tie it with an extravagant bow — it’s perfect for hanging on the Christmas tree.
  
• Tuck shards of white chocolate bark into a mug with a few sachets of our cacao-rich hot chocolate for a delectable multisensory contrast.
  
• Fill a mason jar with almond bark, some cacao-rich  85% Dark Chocolate Batons and some salted Marcona almonds for an opulent treat.
  
• Search out vintage gift boxes and fill them to overflowing with different chocolate bark flavours.

• Pile your chocolate bark high on vintage plates and finish with cellophane and baubles for a striking festive treat.
  

Thoughtful tips for gifting chocolate bark for special occasions 

Gifting chocolate is a universal language for love, friendship and celebration. Here’s how to elevate your chocolate bark into an elegant and thoughtful present for birthdays, Christmases, Valentine’s Day or just to say thank you.

Start by understanding your recipient’s taste and crafting a bespoke flavour that chimes with their dessert obsessions. Pop in a handwritten note showing you care. Then wrap everything up in a fun and reusable container — consider a tiffin tin, a bento box, or a Stanley cup.

You could go to town on a gift basket of different chocolate bark flavours to surprise and delight. Or spell out their name on your chocolate slab in toppings you know they love. Even work colleagues will appreciate a paper gift bag of chocolate bark for the festive season.

There’s a plethora of ways you can create, gift and indulge in your cacao cravings. Why not try our chocolate recipes and see how you can adapt them into decadent chocolate bark?