Crazy Good Dark Chocolate Bark

I am such a fan of chocolate and dark chocolate especially.  I love to keep a supply of my homemade dark chocolate bark on hand for all those chocolate craving moments.  

SO EASY TO MELT THE CHOCOLATE IN A MICROWAVE THEN SPREAD OUT & PREPARE FOR YOUR TOPPINGS

While this is crazy good chocolate bark, it is also crazy easy to make. I've simplified the method by melting chocolate in the microwave, then spreading it out onto parchment papers and adorning with whatever jewels you find. This batch had pumpkin seeds, pistachios and to complement those emerald green colors I also used pink Goji berries. What a beautiful combination.

I add my bark to the refrigerator for a bit after I've topped it and once it's chilled it's very easy to break into those iconic bark like shards. So easy. 

This particular batch of bark was topped with some flaky sea salt.  That salty bite with the bittersweet chocolate is perfect.  Who wouldn't want to receive this as a gift?

Crazy Good Chocolate Bark

1 3.5 oz. Bar 90% Dark chocolate  (You can use 65% and above for this)

1 tea bag of earl grey or other tea of choice or  1/2 t. ground lavender or a dash or 2 of cayenne pepper if you want some heat (all of these flavorings/mix-ins are optional) 

1 T coconut sugar (optional)

​Toppings of choice like pistachios, dried cranberries, chopped apricots.
Be adventurous.  Crushed pink peppercorns, flaked sea salt? The sky is the limit.

First a word of caution.  Water and chocolate do not mix! Make sure everything you're using is very dry and there is no water in the melting bowl on on anything else.  Water will make the chocolate "seize up" and ruin your batch.

Break your bar up into small bits in a microwave safe dish.  Smaller pieces melt more quickly and evenly. I love to use my microwave for this.  Melt on high in 30 second increments.  I can go 1 minute first, give the chocolate a little stir and then an additional 30 seconds.  It shouldn't take more than one a a half minutes for one standard bar.

Mix in the coconut sugar, tea, lavender or cayenne if you are using.
Pour out in a long puddle on parchment paper that you've placed on a cutting board for stability. You may need to coax it a bit with a spatula, but it should be very runny.
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Add your toppings of choice (artfully arranged of course :-) and then pop in the fridge for perhaps 10 minutes to allow to set.  
Once the chocolate is firm to the touch, break it into shards and enjoy.  This is great to give as a gift or I've placed some in little gift bags to send home with dinner guests.

I'd love to hear what unique combinations you come up with.