Feel Good About Your Dessert With Antioxidant Bark

This dark chocolate bark with dried fruit is one of the easiest things you can make, but oh my WORD it tastes amazing. Some links in this article are affiliate links that may earn me a commission if you purchase through them.

While I often make chocolate bark simple because I have leftover chocolate, this is one of the recipes that I break out and make simply because it tastes so darn good.

This is a perfect no bake dessert that you can whip up at the last minute. And everyone wows over it every single time.

It has the perfect texture, and I love the combination of the fruit and the chocolate with the crunch and light saltiness of the pepitas, too.

And of course, the ingredients are absolutely flexible based on what you like or what you want. Oh, and did I mention you can totally pretend this is healthy for you?

Yep. I mean, dark chocolate, fruits with lots of antioxidants, what’s not to love? (Hint: it isn’t TRULY healthy for you.)

A batch of chocolate bark candy also makes a fabulous homemade holiday gift or last minute hostess gift.

What kind of chocolate should I use?

Chocolate is the star here, so pretty please find some quality chocolate and use it. This isn’t the time to try to melt chocolate chips, as it just won’t work well.

Repeat after me: The quality of chocolate matters.

I like dark chocolate for this particular chocolate bark recipe, but you can also use milk chocolate or white chocolate or swirl them together if you prefer.

If you use milk or white chocolate, make sure you add more savory toppings so this doesn’t become too sweet.

Look for callets (which are like chocolate chips) or a good quality chocolate bar that you chop into pieces. Once upon a time, I used to keep five plus pound chocolate bars in my pantry just for this purpose.

What other mix ins can I add to my chocolate bark?

The fun with this chocolate bark with dried fruit is that you can get creative based on what you like and what you have in your pantry. That means no panicking when you decide to make this last minute.

I use dried cherries, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, and pepitas in this version, but you can swap out with your favorites. The big key is simply to make sure that they are bite size treats, as you don’t want to try to chew a whole dried banana slice or a big piece of strawberry, for example.

Some ingredients like that, I give a little chop to so that they fit better, but you also don’t want them much smaller than a dried blueberry. If they’re too small, they get lost.

Figure out what flavors you enjoy together, and play with them. Some suggestions include

• Pistacios
• Almonds (or nuts in general)
• Goji berries
• Pretzels
• Broken up potato chips
• Shredded coconut
• Banana chips
• Freeze dried fruit – mangoes, strawberries, apples, pineapple
• Coffee beans
• Raisins
• Shelled sunflower seeds
• Sprinkle of sea salt

Can I use fresh or frozen fruit in chocolate bark?

As delicious as this sounds, no. Don’t do it.

Chocolate does not like moisture at all. It ruins the texture, and it won’t harden around the fruit either.

No question, use dried or freeze dried fruit only.

What’s the best way to melt chocolate?

To get the perfect shiny tempered chocolate and a great snap, you want to melt most of your chocolate in a double boiler just until it’s most of the way melted. Remove it from the heat, and stir in the remaining chocolate until it’s smooth and shiny.

Chocolate has a very narrow temperature band where it’s tempered perfectly. It scorches easily, too.

For that reason, I absolutely do not recommend melting chocolate in your microwave. If you absolutely have to use a microwave, heat your chocolate in short 20 second bursts, and make sure you stir between each rotation.

For the same reason, I don’t suggest you use a regular pot to heat your chocolate. It tends to not eat it evenly and scorches too easily.

So what is a double boiler, and how does it work?

You can absolutely purchase a double boiler, or you can make your own. Essentially, you have a pot with a couple inches of water with a second metal pot that rests over it where the chocolate sits.

When you bring the water in the lower pot to a boil, it gently heats the upper portion and melts the chocolate. The key is that no steam from the boiling water gets near your chocolate, or it will seize.

You can use a “real” double boiler, or you can make your own by placing a metal bowl over your pot. The metal bowl needs to be wider than the pot, and the water can not touch the metal bowl.

When you remove the upper portion of the double boiler from the pot, have a kitchen towel handy to quickly wipe away any moisture and move the bowl away from the water so steam doesn’t ruin your chocolate accidentally.

How should I store the chocolate bark with dried fruit?

While you will often see recommendations to store chocolate bark candy in your fridge, don’t do it.

Remember chocolate not liking moisture? Your fridge has a lot of moisture, and there are also too many opportunities for the chocolate to absorb smells and flavors from other foods.

Instead, place your chocolate bark into an airtight container and store it in a cool, dry place. I like my pantry.

In summer, if your house gets too hot, you can alternatively freeze it for short periods, then serve it at room temperature.

Do you have any other chocolate bark ideas?

Oh my word, yes! Chocolate bark is so incredibly flexible and easy to make that of course I have all sorts of ideas.

I make chocolate bark all the time when I have to melt chocolate for dipping like with cookie dough truffles or dipped shortbread cookies. I can’t just waste that melted chocolate, so I always use it to make chocolate bark.

Some of my favorite varieties include peppermint bark and s’mores bark, but feel free to try any other other mix ins I listed above, too.

And speaking of s’mores, you can make s’mores with chocolate bark, which is a super fun and tasty way to enjoy s’mores. This is a great party idea to make it fancier than the usual chocolate bars, too.

How to Make Dark Chocolate Bark with Dried Fruit

Prep your toppings, as you want to add them to your chocolate quickly. If any need to be chopped or cut or broken up, do so now.

Link your baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.

In a double boiler, gently melt your approximately two thirds of your chocolate. You do not need to be exact.

Once your chocolate is most of the way melted, turn off the heat and add the rest of the chocolate. Stir continuously until the chocolate fully melts.

Immediately remove the top of your double boiler and away from the stove, wiping the bottom with a towel to capture all moisture.

Pour the melted chocolate mixture onto your prepared baking sheet. Use a spatula to spread it into a thin layer maybe a quarter inch thick, as a little of this goes a long way.

Sprinkle your dried fruit over the melted chocolate, then follow with the pepitas – or whatever toppings you chose.

I start with the dried fruit or larger toppings, then finish with pepitas or nuts. You can make the toppings as full or sparse as you like, though I choose to have bits in each bite without overdoing it.

Let your chocolate harden, then break it into pieces. Store this in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Save this dark chocolate bark with dried fruit recipe to make again!

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