You could say that after the cake batter bark, I developed a serious bark obsession. It’s more than a passing fancy — I keep thinking about new flavor combinations, textures, colors, and ways to layer bark.
No, I don’t have a life. (Also, have you seen this bark? I swear she reads my mind.) To avoid posting two separate bark recipes back-to-back, I’m sharing two here: consider it bark overload — but delicious overload.
First up: Island Coconut Lime Bark.
If you don’t want a snowy Christmas, make this and get whisked to the tropics. Warning: after you eat it, you may not feel like squeezing into a bikini for a while.
I’d been eyeing coconut Lindt for months, and that flavor was my inspiration. You don’t have to use a coconut-flavored chocolate — plain white chocolate with added coconut works fine — but the Lindt added a lovely texture and flavor.
Yes, I once said I wasn’t a fan of dried fruit and nuts in chocolate, but this is different. It’s fruit, so it counts as something healthy, right? I used dried banana, papaya, and pineapple because my store had them on hand. Use whatever dried fruit and nuts you prefer.
Island Coconut Lime Chocolate Bark
16 ounces high-quality white chocolate (Lindt, Godiva, Ghirardelli, etc.)
1/4 cup toasted coconut
1/4 cup salted cashews, chopped
1/4 cup dried pineapple, chopped
1/4 cup dried papaya, chopped
1/4 cup banana chips, chopped
1 tablespoon lime zest
Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler or microwave (use about 30-second intervals to avoid burning). Let cool for 1–2 minutes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir half of the coconut, nuts, and dried fruit into the melted chocolate, then spread the mixture onto the parchment. Quickly top with the remaining dried fruit, coconut, and chopped cashews, and sprinkle with lime zest. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes until firm. Break into pieces to serve and store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Bark isn’t just for the holidays anymore. Next: a cookie-filled creation inspired by requests to add crushed cookies and Oreos to cake batter bark.
I found plain chocolate with only crushed Oreos a bit one-note, so I built a four-layer cookies and cream bark for extra texture and flavor. It has alternating dark (or milk) and white chocolate layers, each sprinkled with crushed Oreos. The result is rich, crunchy, and dangerously addictive.
This stuff is impossible to resist. I’ve kept it in the freezer and still find myself sneaking bites. The contrast between the smooth chocolate and crunchy cookies is what makes it irresistible — and possibly the reason my pants feel tighter.
Four-Layer Cookies ’n Cream Chocolate Bark
26 ounces high-quality milk or dark chocolate
26 ounces high-quality white chocolate
10 Oreos, crushed
Total time is about 60 minutes, including chilling steps. Crush the Oreos and set aside. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Melt 14 ounces of the dark (or milk) chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. Spread it over the parchment, sprinkle with some crushed Oreos, and freeze for 15 minutes. While that layer chills, melt 14 ounces of white chocolate and quickly pour it over the chilled dark layer, spreading as best you can over the cookies. Sprinkle with more crushed Oreos and freeze another 15 minutes.
Repeat the process: a second dark chocolate layer (melt and pour, sprinkle with Oreos, chill) followed by a final white chocolate layer with a last sprinkle of Oreos. The layers may look a little messy while you work, but that marbled, imperfect look is what makes the bark appealing.
Store the finished bark in the refrigerator.
This week, dinner might be bark — I splurged on expensive chocolate and have to eat my investment. No complaints here.