Christmas Bark
Hi Friends! I hope your holidays are going well so far. We’ve got the tree up and the house is decorated. Shopping is almost done and I’ve even wrapped some of the gifts and put them under the tree. For once, I feel like I am ahead of the game this year.
Holiday programs watched so far – Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Charlie Brown Christmas, The Grinch (both animated and live action versions.) What are your favorites? I have a post of my top ten here if you’re interested.
Left on the to do list is too many things to count, but that is ok. It’s only December 4th, so there is plenty of time left.
[tweetthis]This Christmas Bark is super easy to prepare and so fun to make with the kids! #recipe #christmastreat #foodblog[/tweetthis]
One of the ways I like to give every year is to make tasty treats. Homemade gifts are the best kind and they are reasonably priced compared to store-bought gifts. I like to bring homemade treats to the office and give them to neighbors, our housecleaners, etc.
Christmas Bark is very easy to prepare and is so much fun to make with kids! There are a variety of different toppings you can use and you can even use different types of chocolate. My version is made using good white chocolate, mini M&M’s, peanuts and sprinkles.
Let me walk you through the instructions. Trust me, this is a recipe that you can’t mess up! I brought a batch to the office today and there was very little remaining when I left for the day. Being a food blogger, I’m often making tasty treats, but I don’t necessarily want them all living in my house, so I take them to the office and inevitably, they are gobbled right up!
Here’s a snapshot of the ingredients you’ll need to make Christmas Bark.
So simple, right? You’ll notice that as usual, I’m using a lot of generic ingredients like the graham crackers and peanuts, but I did not skimp on the chocolate! Ghiradelli makes good chocolate and I like good chocolate, so I splurged.
Begin the preparation by laying the chocolate graham crackers in a flat layer on a Silpat mat on a cookie sheet. Using a Silpat mat will help in removing the Christmas Bark when it’s finished setting. Silpat Mats can be purchased at most kitchen supply stores, or Amazon.com.
The layer on the right side is tiled up a bit, but it didn’t affect the final product, so don’t worry if you have the same issue.
Melt the chocolate in a micro-wave safe bowl. Heat in :30 increments on high power, removing to stir in between heat times until melted.
When the chocolate has melted, spread it out on the layer of graham crackers. Ideally, use an offset spatula, but if you don’t own one (like me), a rubber spatula works just fine.
While the chocolate is still warm, top with desired candies, nuts, pretzels, sprinkles.
I wanted to use red and green mini M&M’s, but I couldn’t find them, so I just used the multi-colored minis, along with dry roasted peanuts that I chopped up and some Christmas sprinkles.
Feel free to use any toppings you like. Here are some ideas:
- M&M’s
- Nuts
- Pretzel pieces
- Sprinkles
- Mini Kit Kats
- Mini Snickers
- Reeces Pieces
- Gummy Bears
Let the Christmas Bark cool in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and then break it into rough chunks using your hands. Bark is supposed to be rustic, so don’t worry about cutting into precise pieces. Precision is not necessary! Have fun with it and let the kiddos help.
I hope you’ll give this recipe a try. If you do, please snap a photo and tag #ketchumkitchen on Social Media. I love seeing your creations!
Wishing you a very happy and safe holiday season. Thank you for stopping by my kitchen, where everything, without exception, is made from the ♥
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Ingredients
- I'm not including exact portions of the ingredients, as this is one of those - "toss in whatever you like" recipes, but here is a list of basic ingredients.
- 10 ounces white melting chocolate
- 1 box chocolate graham crackers
- Mini M&M's
- Roasted peanuts, chopped
- Chocolate sprinkles
Instructions
- On a Silpat mat layer on a cookie sheet, lay out a flat layer of chocolate graham crackers.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate in :30 increments on high heat. Stir between heat cycles. Remove when melted and stir well.
- Spread the melted chocolate over the graham crackers in an even layer using an offset spatula or rubber spatula.
- Top with desired toppings.
- Let cool in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Break into chunks using your hands.
- Store in an airtight container.
