Valentine's Day Chocolate Bark Recipe

I’m a huge fan of chocolate peppermint bark. It’s a Christmas favorite of mine. But, now it’s heading towards Valentine’s Day, and I’m ready to make a sweetheart version.

This holiday treat recipe couldn’t be simpler. Well, technically it could. But, it’s certainly easy enough for pretty much anyone to make. You can keep a batch of it at home, bag small pieces up and hand them out as sweets for your child’s classmates or give a tin of it out as a Valentine’s gift.

As much as I adore the wintery fresh candy cane-esque peppermint variety, I don’t really feel like it matches up with Valentine’s Day. Instead, this holiday bark stays a bit sweeter, and sticks with chocolate (and some heart-y accents).

Along with my affinity for all things sugary, I also tend to be a bit of a penny pincher (my husband may have some other, more colorful, words to describe my relationship with spending money). With that in mind, I wasn’t really into buying loads of pricey choco-bars for this recipe. Figuring that Christmas is totally done, I hit the stores looking for some post-holiday bargains. And, wouldn’t you know it – those chocolate kisses with red and green foil wrappers were on clearance (I got four 11 oz. bags for $4). Given that I’m unwrapping the candy first, the Christmas-colored foil wasn’t an issue. If you can luck out with some out-of-season holiday candy, I highly suggest that you do so. And, save those wrappers. Your kids can use the colorful foil for a shiny new art project!

I choose to use dark chocolate. Firstly, that’s what the clearance candy came in, so I didn’t really have a choice. Secondly, I milk chocolate aggravates my migraines, while dark doesn’t seem to (I’m not a doctor and that’s not real medical advice, but it works for me).

Here’s What You’ll Need:

·        11 oz. of dark chocolate (give or take – I have to admit, I ate a few pieces while unwrapping them)

·        7 oz. white chocolate (the top layer was thinner, meaning you don’t need as much)

·        Valentine’s Day sprinkles (I used little heart shapes, but you could go with regular sprinkles in red and pink)

·        Optional: Red or pink crystal sugar

·        Wax paper

Here’s What to Do:

1. Melt the dark chocolate. I did this in the microwave (it’s super-easy). Empty the chocolate into a microwave safe bowl and heat for increments of 30 seconds, stirring in between. Microwaves vary in terms of heat, so it may take more or less time. Mine took a total of one minute 30 seconds, with a good stir each 30 seconds. Be very careful, the bowl and the chocolate will be hot.

2. Cover a baking pan with wax paper. I used a 9-inch rounds pan, but you can use a square or rectangle shape as well.

3. Pour the melted chocolate into the pan. Smooth it out across the wax paper.

 

4. Put the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.

5. Take the chilled chocolate (it should be hard by now) out of the freezer.

6. Melt the white chocolate in the same way that you did with the dark. You have less chocolate, so it will take less time. Mine took about one minute, with a good stir every 20 seconds.

 

7. Mix in the sprinkles (and sugar crystals, if you’re using them).

 

8. Spread the white chocolate over the frozen layer.

 

9. Put the pan back in the freezer for another 30 minutes.

10. Take the bark out and pop it out of the pan. It should cleanly come off of the wax paper.

 

11. Crack the Valentine’s Day chocolate bark into pieces.

Are you looking for more tasty desserts? Check out these tasty donut s'mores!

 

OR these frosted animal cookie no-bake heart treats

 

AND
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