Bark, Bark, Bark!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! Even though Christmas is over, gifts are still exchanged through the New Year! If you have just finished with dozens of cookies and  a Christmas feast-you may be not very interested in making anything too complicated to bring as a hostess gift to your New Year's party!
I have a quick and delicious option...bark! It is my personal belief that nothing made from chocolate can be bad! I have made some delectable options and here they are:


Peanut Butter- Chocolate Bark

• 12 ounces of semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup of roasted peanuts
• 12 ounces of peanut butter chips

Melt semisweet chocolate in a double-boiler until completely melted. Spread the melted chocolate onto a wax-paper covered cookie sheet. Sprinkle the peanuts over the melted chocolate and then chill until hard.
In the mean time when the chocolate is hardening, melt the peanut butter chips in a double-boiler. Once melted spread over chocolate and let the entire mixture harden. Once hard-break into bit-size pieces.

White Peppermint Bark

• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 12 ounces white chocolate, chopped
• 3-4 crushed candy canes

Melt the semisweet chocolate in a double-boiler and spread onto a baking sheet-as you did with the previous recipe. Let the chocolate harden.
While hardening, melt the white chocolate. Spread this over the hard semisweet chocolate and then sprinkle with the crushed candy canes. You may want to place a piece of wax paper over the bark to press the candy cane into the white chocolate. Chill until hard and then break into pieces.

Festive Chocolate Bark 

• 1 cup shelled pistachio nuts (about ½ pound in shell)
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
• ¾ dup dried, sweetened cranberries

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly toast the pistachio nuts on a baking sheet, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Let the nuts cool.

Melt the semisweet chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, stirring until smooth.  Or Microwave it, in a dry microwave-safe bowl, uncovered, on medium power for 2-3 minutes stirring once.  Remove the chocolate fro the microwave and stir until smooth.  Melt the white chocolate separately, following the same directions.

In a small bowl, combine the nuts and cranberries, and then stir half of them into the semisweet chocolate.  Using a spatula spread the mixture to about a ½ inch thickness on a large cookie sheet.  Drop the white chocolate by tablespoonfuls over the dark.  With the tip of a butter knife, swirl the chocolates together to create a marbled effect.  Sprinkle on the rest of the berries and nuts.

Refrigerate the bark for about 1 hour or until firm, and then break into pieces.  Store the bark in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Makes about 1-3/4 pounds.

Side Note:This is my personal favorite. It seems a bit more sophisticated than the other barks but this also means it may not be everyone's favorite! I also think that chocolate quality is important. I like to use Ghirardelli-it can be a bit pricey but I found it at Price-Rite for a reasonable price. Also bark can be anything you want it to be-that is the beauty of it. If you want to use almonds, m&ms or even sea salt-go for it! Whatever floats your boat!