Chili Chocolate Bark

I know this is a little late for Easter candy but homemade chocolate desserts really never go out of season, do they?  Not in our house!  I definitely have a sweet tooth and try to have at least one homemade dessert available in our house at all times.  I love the idea of chocolate bark because it can be broken into bite size pieces and you can add lots of yummy – and even healthy – extra ingredients and the result can be a little different each time.  I also like that you can store it in the fridge or freezer which helps to keep it from disappearing as fast as it might if we kept it out on the kitchen counter.  So I’ve tried lots of variations on this recipe but I think this is my favorite basic version to which you can add any sort of dried fruit and nuts or seeds that you have on hand.  [My second favorite is probably chocolate bark without the spices (chili powder, cinnamon and cayenne) and with raisins and sunflower seeds added at the end.  The possibilities are endless!]  Any way that you make it, this recipe is super fast and easy.  Everyone in our family is digging it so I hope you will, too!

AuthorMaria

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Yields1 ServingServingsQuarter (0.25 Servings)Half (0.5 Servings)Default (1 Serving)Double (2 Servings)Triple (3 Servings)

 12 oz dark chocolate, chopped

 1 ½ tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

 1 tbsp chili powder

 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

 ¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper

Optional

 1 cup dried fruit (cherries, cranberries, goji berries, raisins, apricots)

 1 cup toasted and chopped nuts or seeds (walnuts, cashews, almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds)

 1 tsp coarse sea salt

1

Place first five ingredients in a double boiler (I use a glass bowl over a pot of boiling water) and heat and stir until melted and smooth. If desired, stir in nuts or dried fruit at this point.

2

Pour chocolate mixture into a 9x13” baking pan or large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread evenly with spatula. If desired, sprinkle with some Himalayan pink sea salt as well as a few extra toasted nuts or seeds.

3

Place in freezer for 5 minutes or until hardened. Break into pieces and serve or store in refrigerator or freezer in airtight container. Enjoy!

CategoryDairy-Free, Desserts, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Ingredients

 12 oz dark chocolate, chopped

 1 ½ tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

 1 tbsp chili powder

 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

 ¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper

Optional

 1 cup dried fruit (cherries, cranberries, goji berries, raisins, apricots)

 1 cup toasted and chopped nuts or seeds (walnuts, cashews, almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds)

 1 tsp coarse sea salt

Directions

1

Place first five ingredients in a double boiler (I use a glass bowl over a pot of boiling water) and heat and stir until melted and smooth. If desired, stir in nuts or dried fruit at this point.

2

Pour chocolate mixture into a 9x13” baking pan or large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread evenly with spatula. If desired, sprinkle with some Himalayan pink sea salt as well as a few extra toasted nuts or seeds.

3

Place in freezer for 5 minutes or until hardened. Break into pieces and serve or store in refrigerator or freezer in airtight container. Enjoy!

Notes

Chili Chocolate Bark

IngredientsDirections