The holidays are a great time to get into the kitchen with your family and make gifts from the heart to share with friends, family, neighbors, teachers, your veterinarian … everyone!
One of my favorite delicious gifts is super easy and adaptable to nearly anything you might happen to already have in your pantry—chocolate bark.
Gluten free and easily made dairy free, chocolate bark makes a festive and pretty gift—that is, if you can wrap it up before your family eats it all!
Even if you don’t have a double boiler (I don’t either!), that’s ok! Just grab two pots that are the same size and make it work! Put some water in one and boil it, then set the other on top. It’s a bit of a balancing act, but you can pull it off! As long as the one on top isn’t touching the heating element, the chocolate won’t burn, and that’s the whole idea.
Then you’re off to the races, and you can make beautiful and yummy chocolate bark like my daughter’s favorite: this Peppermint Candy Cane bark!
I’ll share with you some of our family’s favorite incarnations of this holiday classic below, but first, watch how easy it is to make, as my 5 year-old and I make the bark together! It’s a classic!
Easy Chocolate Bark (Recipes + Video)
Homemade chocolate bark -- even dairy-free -- is a treat anyone can make and everyone can enjoy!
Ingredients
Pretzel-Pecan Bark
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (Enjoy Life® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – 10 oz. – are gluten, dairy, nut and soy-free; Sweet Chocolate Dream bars – 3 oz. – are dairy and gluten free)
- 1 tsp. canola oil
- 1 cup chopped gluten free pretzels (Glutino®)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Dried Fruit & Pistachio Bark
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (EnjoyLife® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – 10 oz. – are gluten, dairy, nut and soy free; Sweet Chocolate Dream bars – 3 oz. – are dairy and gluten free)
- 1 tsp. canola oil
- 2/3 cup pistachios
- 2/3 cup dried fruit (I used cranberries; other options include cherries, raisins, diced figs, etc.)
- 1 Tbs. diced crystallized ginger (optional)
- 1/8 tsp. coarse sea or kosher salt
Candy Cane Bark
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (EnjoyLife® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – 10 oz. – are gluten, dairy, nut and soy-free; Sweet Chocolate Dream bars – 3 oz. – are dairy and gluten-free)
- 6 ounces white chocolate (Pascha Vegan White Chocolate Chips)
- 2 tsp. canola oil
- 1 tsp. peppermint extract
- 1/2 cup crushed gluten free candy canes
Instructions
Pretzel-Pecan Bark
Prepare a double boiler and melt the chocolate over medium-high heat until smooth. Meanwhile, coarsely chop the pretzels and pecans. Prepare a small jelly roll pan or 8×8 baking pan by lining with aluminum foil.
When the chocolate is completely melted, stir in the canola oil (this will help the chocolate to remain “snappy,” rather than becoming mushy when broken into bark). Stir the chopped pretzels and pecans into the chocolate and then spread out to an even thickness on the prepared pan.
Refrigerate for 2 hours or until well-set, then break into bark to serve or pack for gifts.
Dried Fruit & Pistachio Bark
Prepare a double boiler and melt the chocolate over medium-high heat until smooth. Meanwhile, coarsely chop any larger dried fruits and crystallized ginger. Prepare a jelly roll pan or 8×8 baking pan by lining with aluminum foil.
When the chocolate is completely melted, stir in the canola oil (this will help the chocolate to remain “snappy,” rather than becoming mushy when broken into bark). Stir half of the nuts and fruit into the chocolate and then spread out to an even thickness on the prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining nuts and fruit, and with all the ginger and salt.
Refrigerate for 2 hours or until well-set, then break into bark to serve or pack for gifts.
Candy Cane Bark
Prepare a double boiler and melt the semi-sweet chocolate over medium-high heat until smooth. Meanwhile, coarsely chop the candy canes. Prepare a jelly roll pan or 8×8 baking pan by lining with aluminum foil.
When this chocolate is completely melted, stir in 1 teaspoon canola oil (this will help the chocolate to remain “snappy,” rather than becoming mushy when broken into bark). Spread over prepared pan to an even thickness. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until set.
Meanwhile, clean the double boiler and repeat melting process with the white chocolate, adding the remaining 1 teaspoon canola oil and the peppermint extract once the white chocolate is melted. Spread over the chilled and set semi-sweet chocolate, then sprinkle with chopped candy canes.
Refrigerate for 2 hours or until well-set, then break into bark to serve or pack for gifts.
need recipe for home made milk chocolate
Hi Jean, here’s my recipe for homemade chocolate. Enjoy!
~jules
Thanks for the great recipe. I used yours as a basis for my nut-free version since my son can’t eat nuts. I hope it’s okay I linked to yours in my blog post!
http://www.mamacado.com/2013/12/quick-dessert-treat-or-gift-idea.html
Hi Jules, This may seem like a dumb queation, but why do I have so much trouble printing your wonderful recipes?
How can I get a printable version?
Hi Barb – no questions is dumb! There should be a “print this recipe” button at the bottom of each post, but we’ve been having trouble with it lately. Working on it, though! For now, try copying the text of the recipe and pasting in a word document so you can print from there. Sorry for the trouble, but know that we are trying to fix it as soon as possible!
Thanks, Jules. IL’ll give it a try
Very cute video! Santa’s little helper is precious. However this gave me a great idea for all those leftover small amounts of nuts and cranberries I have. THANKS!
Thanks Ann! Glad you have great use for the recipe! I’ll let Santa’s little helper know you said she looked the part!
Can you use a different kind of oil or does it have to be canola?
Yes Jodi, you could use vegetable oil. Enjoy!
Hi.. am from Australia, I just found you web page is fantastic!! thanks thanks very much..
Great Evelyn! So glad you found me!
Love your blog! Check out my website if you’re visiting the nyc area for Gluten Free tours, Events, etc
Can’t wait to try these. Im Gonna make a batch w the dark chocolate & mint chips. Mmmm
Jules….your little girl is absolutely precious, and such a good helper! Wish she was one of my students bringing me that GF treat. You and she are the kind of family teachers dream of.
Have a very Merry Christmas, and a fantastic start to your New Year! PS….love the big fur baby walking around. What kind?
A pyrex bowl in a pot with boiling water will also work. My favorite thing to make with pretzels, almond slivers and craisins, and give as gifts too. Will definitely have to try some of the other recipes posted here.
I don’t have a double boiler, what can I use? Will a pan work okay? I do have a melt setting on my rage top.
Katie – I don’t have a double boiler either! I just use two pots – watch this video to see how I do it!
Any gift giving occasion preferred! Tasty chocolates (dairy, darkish, white-colored, and so on) is dissolved with everything out of almonds to be able to dry fruits and veggies to help chocolate bits. That is a excellent foodstuff present as well!
Thanks Jules!
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It’s almost Christmas again! I’d really create all of these goodies starting with the candy cane bark. My two kids and my nieces and nephews will surely love these.*two fingers crossed*
I ran out of time and did not get to make this one, but I will make some before New Year’s to give as gifts. It sure sounds yummy!