Valentine’s Bark
Super quick, easy, and delicious, this Valentine’s Bark with chocolate, pretzels, and festive sprinkles is just the no-bake treat to make someone’s day. The sweet-salty combination is irresistible, and it’s easy to make any size batch, from small to share-able.
Favorite Chocolate Pretzel Bark
Today I’m sharing the most adorable and super easy treat for Valentine’s Day — chocolate bark!
Valentine’s Day is quickly ramping up to be yet another major holiday for the small kiddo set, with specialty pajamas, gift baskets, and teacher presents. I am all about the cuteness but sometimes I think, gosh, I’ve barely recovered from December! Ha!
If you can relate, maybe you’ll enjoy this recipe for something homemade but ultra easy. Make one quick batch of this, break it up into pieces as large or small as you like, and whatever you need — teacher gifts, sweet treat for the family or for your Galentines, quick festive kitchen project with your littles — it’s there.
Ingredient Notes
Here are a few notes and shopping tips about the ingredients you’ll need. Find full amounts in the print-friendly recipe card below.
- Dark or semi-sweet chocolate bars – roughly 8 ounces.
- White chocolate bars, almond bark, or candy melts – roughly 4 ounces.
- Valentine’s-themed sprinkles, M&Ms, pretzels, conversation hearts, or other candies as you like.
Pro Tip
Be sure to use chocolate bars or melting wafers for this recipe, not chocolate chips. Chocolate chips are specifically designed to resist melting into a smooth consistency — that’s why they hold shape in cookies! For bark, it’s far easier to use bars or wafers that are meant to melt. Good brands include Ghirardelli’s, Baker’s, or Lindt, or the pound plus chocolate bars sold at Trader Joe’s.
For the white chocolate part, you can also use almond bark or candy melts, which are often available at well-stocked grocery stores as well as craft stores like Michaels. If using candy melts, you can also use all or part pink or red to add to the Valentine’s theme.
Pro Tip
If you need to thin out one or both types of chocolate a little bit, mix in 2-3 teaspoons of coconut oil, let it melt and stir into the melted chocolate.
How To Make Chocolate Bark
This is pretty straightforward: melt the chocolate, swirl, add sprinkles, and done. But the chocolate will reset quickly once it’s spread thin into bark. Consequently, there are two keys with respect to timing to make the experience frustration-free:
- Have all your sprinkles and toppings opened and ready before melting the chocolate. To make sure they stick to the bark, you’ll need to sprinkle them on right away before the chocolate begins to harden.
- Melt both types of chocolate simultaneously, and be ready to pour and swirl the white chocolate immediately after spreading out the dark chocolate – if you’re going for the swirled look.
Swirled vs. Layered Chocolate Bark
If you prefer a layered look to your chocolate bark, use equal amounts of dark and white chocolate and handle them one at a time, ie., melt and spread out the dark chocolate, then melt and spread out the white chocolate on top. Still be ready to add sprinkles to the top layer immediately for best adhesion.
How Long to Let Chocolate Bark Set
Allow the bark to set, uncovered and untouched, for about 1 hour at room temperature, ideally without any warm overhead lights. You want it to cool completely! When fully set, cut or break the bark into pieces of your desired size.
Storage
After cutting or breaking the bark into pieces, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
I prefer not to keep this in the fridge to minimize condensation and changes in texture to the chocolate. However, if it is hot and humid where you live, it is fine and quite possibly better to store chocolate bark in the refrigerator so it stays cool and set.
Related Recipes
Other favorite Valentine’s treats include this adorable heart-shaped cookie cake, strawberry-frosted chocolate sugar cookies, double chocolate Valentine’s cookies, red velvet cupcakes, and heart-shaped brownies. All quick, easy, and sweet ways to mark the day!
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Valentine’s Chocolate Bark
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dark or semi-sweet chocolate bars
- 4 ounces white chocolate bars
- Valentine’s sprinkles, M&Ms, pretzels, conversation hearts, or other candies
Instructions
- Lay a large piece of parchment paper or a silicone mat flat on the counter. Open sprinkles, pretzels, or any other toppings and have them nearby.
- Melt the two types of chocolate, dark or semi-sweet and white, at the same time. You can do this using either a double boiler or the microwave. To melt in the microwave, break the chocolate up into large pieces and place in separate medium microwave-safe bowls. Melt on 50% power in 45 second increments in the microwave, stirring after each burst, until both are fully melted and smooth.8 ounces dark or semi-sweet chocolate bars, 4 ounces white chocolate bars
- Pour the dark chocolate into a thin layer on top of the parchment or silicone mat. Immediately drizzle the white chocolate on top, then use a small knife or a toothpick to swirl the layers together. Sprinkle the top with sprinkles, pretzels, or candy, as desired.Valentine’s sprinkles, M&Ms, pretzels, conversation hearts, or other candies
- Let the bark set, uncovered, for about 1 hour at room temperature. When completely set, break into pieces of your desired size. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Be sure to use chocolate bars or melting wafers for this recipe, not chocolate chips. Chocolate chips, of any variety, are specifically designed to resist melting into a smooth consistency. Instead use pure chocolate bars or melting wafers, such as Ghirardelli’s, Baker’s, or Lindt, or the pound plus chocolate bars sold at Trader Joe’s.
- For the white chocolate part, you can also use almond bark or candy melts, which are often available at well-stocked grocery stores as well as craft stores like Michaels.
- If you need to thin out one or both types of chocolate a little bit, mix in 2-3 teaspoons of coconut oil, let it melt and stir into the melted chocolate.
- It’s best to store chocolate bark at room temperature as long as it’s not very hot and humid where you live. If it is, it’s fine to store in the refrigerator instead.
