2/14/12

the best sweet & salty chocolate bark

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Quite a title to live up to right? I know. But trust me on this one? I've made a lot of barks in my life and I tell you this one is the best hands down. It's not just me who claims this. I gave a sample of this to a few people who said the same thing.
Why does it taste so good? I'm certain it's the combo of the peanut butter, honey, butter and chocolate. That alone is a creamy good taste--and you could actually just make that alone and it would be fabulous. But I added in toasted coconut (for texture), salty pretzels (for salt), and pecans (for extra crunch).
I know I've said this before to you, but if you make one bark, this is it.

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the best sweet & salty chocolate bark
print recipe

the base:
1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
1/3 cup + 1 TB local honey
1/4 cup unsalted butter
¾ cup milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks

the add ins:
1/2 cup toasted coconut
½ cup salty pretzels, rough chop
½ cup salty pecans (any kind of salty nut)

Cook notes:
You can add in anything you want to this. But keep the add ins to 3-4, as you don’t want too many add ins or it won’t set up right. I found using a thin pretzel works best than a thick one. I think using potato chips would be fabulous for this. Have all your add ins at the ready; you want to add them in fast when the chocolate base is all melted.

Get all your add ins at the ready and lined up ready to go. If you want uniform bars instead of bark, use an 8 X 8 square pan and really grease it up and line with parchment paper. If you want bark, then line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
Melt butter, peanut butter and honey in a pot over medium to low heat, stirring constantly.
Add in the chocolate chips and keep stirring—takes a while for everything to incorporate and you want to melt the chocolate slowly (almost like tempering). When all is melted, remove from stove.
Pour in all your add ins, mix well, and immediately transfer to the jelly roll pan or square pan. Using a spatula flatten out bark mixture. Don’t spread it too thin! Let cool at room temperature about 2 hours. When bark has set up, use a sharp knife to cut into chunks.

34 comments:

  1. Looks Yummy! I like those pretzels too. Happy Valentines Day Dawn hope you enjoy it!!

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  2. I just made chocolate covered cashews that were a TOTAL fail. OK, mostly they are just super ugly but even the taste is not what it should be. So sad I didn't see this before I made those little buggers.

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  3. It's like all of my favorite treats and snacks rolled into one! Anything salty-sweet I die for!

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  4. Sweet & salty...SO awesome. Toasted coconut? Amazing. gah...you always make my tummy grumble

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  5. wow, what a combo! this is one i'd be all over, salty sweet gets me every time :)

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  6. In the words of George Takai, "Oh my!"

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  7. Happy Valentine's Day to you, too. I'll take a box of this, please!! WOW, Dawn...it looks sooo good!

    Sweet 'n salty is where it's at. love this. Wow. I made some PB pretzel cookie dough truffles but honestly, your method with the bark is so much more efficient than mine with rolling balls and then dipping them. I love this one!

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  8. If I make bark, it will definitely be this one. It has everything I like to eat with chocolate in it!

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  9. This is a really nice bark, like the sweet and salty combo.

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  10. Skinny pretzels, what a brilliant idea! This looks amazing.

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  11. That really does look amazing. If only it came in a sugar-free version.... sigh.

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  12. I love sweet and salty also. These combinations really do sound great. Hope you had a nice valentines day.

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  13. wow this is great. i loved chocolates :) nice simple and its cute . really.
    have fun. happy valentines dear..

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  14. I love sweet and salty! Gotta try this one!

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  15. I love sweet and salty combinations, and I know I'd love this bark! It looks delicious.

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  16. I'm pretty sure you must be able to hear my moaning all the way up there in MA. Or feel it. It's palpable.

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  17. Bite. Crunch. Chew. Repeat. Bite. Crunch. Chew. Repeat. Bite. Crunch. Chew. Repeat. Bite. Crunch. Chew. Repeat. Bite. Crunch. Chew. Repeat. Bite. Crunch. Chew. Repeat. Bite. Crunch. Chew. Repeat. GREG

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  18. This looks so addicting and wonderful! I love all of the textures you added.

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  19. These need to happen ... now!! I can't help myself when it comes to that sweet & salty combo!! ~ yum

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  20. the toasted coconut is the best thing about this, and that's saying something because there're a lot of good things about this!

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  21. oh my goodness. Seriously need this right now. You kill me with these treats. I love this. xx

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  22. Mmmhhh, terrific! They look just irresistible.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  23. Those thin pretzels are great to eat alone, so in this bark would be oh so right. The treats in your header looks so good. Is that a peanut butter and chocolate?

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  24. I would love to make this, but without the peanut butter. Have you any idea if that is possible and still have good results. Thanks, Lynda

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  25. Lynda: I surely don't see why not. Not sure how it will taste. Maybe almond butter instead? Can you do almond butter? Or how about that biscoff spread? That might be fabulous

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  26. That is some really nice looking bark!

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  27. This is a spectacular & tasty appetizing bark & so easy to make too!

    Just wonderful indulgence, dear Dawn! ;) Waw!

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  28. How did you know I've been obsessed wit peanut butter, honey, and chocolate?! I've been on a crazy granola bar kick with all of those ingredients lately... but anything with the addition of butter can only be a good thing.

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  29. This looks wonderful. I think I might just had to make these today!

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  30. OMG, I love those pretzels from Trader Joe's. Now, you've done it, though. You've added even more temptation for me to buy them more often. Curses! ;)

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  31. I just found your blog and I am IN LOVE with you! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM I have also ordered the Fleet tropic flats that I found here. YAY!!!!!!!

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  32. Hi There!
    This recipe looks great. Do you know about how much bark this makes? Can this recipe be doubled? Thank you in advance for your answer!

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    Replies
    1. Hmmm. Hard to say because it depends on how big or small you cut the bark. But since I used an 8x8 pan, I think I got about 10-12 pieces that are 2x3 inches 'ish?
      Of course this can be doubled, use a larger pan.
      Hope that helps you?

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    2. That helps! Thanks so much.

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