This Easter Pretzel & Marshmallow Bark is super easy and fun to make, and no baking required. So grab the ingredients now and let us have some fun making this bark chocolate. Ready?  

Let’s starts our Easter treats with a no bake dessert, how about that? This pretzel and marshmallow chocolate bark is such an easy trey to make. What I like about making bark chocolates is that not only they are easy to make, but the ingredients are so simple and flexible. You can add in nuts, dried fruits, candy, chocolate chips, sprinkles and more. For instance, this I made from my leftover sprinkles, pretzels and marshmallow that I used for my other baking. I did be have to buy anything I make this treat, even the Easter eggs. They now have this Easter egg all year round so making this in advance is so much easy now. I did not have to wait for Lenten season to get this Easter eggs. So let’s talk about how to make this bark chocolate. 

I’ve had my share of failed bark chocolates. One would think that a simple recipe like this is hard to mess-up. That’s what I thought too. You know when you get excited and starts jumping in to do it without much thinking? That’s what happened to me few times I’ve made bark chocolate. Some of them ended up dull and grainy. It looks good first few days, then it started getting grainy and the surface started having grey steak. It drove me crazy. That is what motivated me to understand and learn the proper way of making bark chocolate. Let me share with you what I’ve learned so that you don’t end up committing the same mistake that I did. Here is what we are going to discuss today in top of how to make this chocolate bark

Lesson for Today

• What is Tempering?
• How to Temper Chocolate
• Benefits of Tempering Chocolate
• Choosing the Right Chocolate for Tempering

What is Tempering?

Tempering is the process of melting the chocolate and bringing it back to a lower temperature. Once a chocolate is heated above 94F a temperature needed to melt the chocolate, it looses its temper. Without tempering, the chocolate will end up having a grainy texture an dull surface because the chocolate can form unstable crystals. 

Benefits of Tempering Chocolate 

• It gives a nice sheen and glossy surface  on the finish product 
• It gives the chocolate a nice crisp snap when you break it 
• It prevents dull foggy or gray streak surface
• It prevents grainy texture 

What Kind of Chocolate is Best for Tempering?

A good quality chocolate that has about 60 -70% range. Instead of a chocolate labeled as bitter sweet or semi sweet, go for the chocolate labelled with percentages, you want something with higher cocoa butter content. If bittersweet or semi sweet are the only one available, go for bittersweet as it is likely to have less sugar then semi-sweet. The best type of chocolate is the one called “couverture” this is made specifically for melting and dipping, this type of chocolate have additional cocoa butter added which makes is easy to temper. They are quite expensive than other chocolate but they really produce a nice end product. What you need to avoid is the manufactured chocolate bars as they are already a finished product ready to be eaten.

How to Temper Chocolate with Thermometer

The simplest way to do it is to melt the chopped chocolate over a simmering water. Use a heat proof bowl and transfer the chopped chocolate. Then pour water into a pan and bring it to simmer, not boiling. Put the bowl with chopped chocolate on top and make sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water as  the hear could scald the chocolate. Slowly stir until the chocolate is melted. If you want to be exact in terms of the temperature, use a candy thermometer, the melted chocolate should read 110F – 115F.  Remove the melted chocolate and put the bowl on top of a towel. Let cool to about 95F – 100F, then add the remaining chopped chocolate. This will bring down the temperature of the melted chocolate.

How to Temper Chocolate Without Thermometer

So what if you do not have a candy thermometer? I myself do not use my candy thermometer when I temper my chocolate. What I do is dip the tip of a spatula or spoon in the melted chocolate then feel the temperature by bringing the dipped melted chocolate to my lower lip. It should feel warm but not hot. When it is almost warm, that is when I start adding the remaining chopped chocolate. Or I sometimes feel the side of the bowl making sure it is no longer hot to the touch.

What are the Ingredients for Pretzel & Marshmallow Bark Chocolate

• Dark Chocolate (60 – 70%) – You can use semi-sweet if you are not into dark chocolate, or combine both
• Pretzels – Any kind of pretzels will work. For this recipe I uses pretzel sticks. A heart shaped pretzel is a cool one to use too
• Mini Marshmallow – Although the big marshmallow will work too, I just find it too big of a chunk when you break it into pieces. Go for the mini, this is the best option. You can use white or eve pastel marshmallow for a more Easter theme effect
• Sprinkles (can be substituted with nuts and Easter candy)

Tips in Making Bark Chocolate 

1. Use Good Quality Chocolate: Since making bark chocolate does not require a lot of ingredients, make sure to use a good or the best quality of chocolate. When making bark chocolate, it is always worth spending more.
2. No Water into the Chocolate: Make sure no water gets into the pan as it can cause grainy texture 
3. Spread thinly so that it is easy to break and eat, plus it will harden faster. 
4. Toppings: If you do not want the toppings for fall of the bark chocolate, add the toppings while chocolate is wet. This way it sticks to the chocolate. 
5. Be care free and scatter the toppings without care, the more unorganized it looks, the better looking it will be
6. Storage: Store the chocolate in a cool place to harden – do NOT refrigerate. I made this mistake several times before which ended up me having a foggy wet chocolate bark because of the condensation 
7. Be Patient: Leave for at least 12 hours without touching it to avoid finger prints mark. I like to make my bark chocolate at night and leave it overnight on my counter top. This allow the chocolate to solidify naturally. 
8. Do NOT refrigerate – Once refrigerated and taken out from the refrigerator, condensation will occur. This is when you see water forming on top of the chocolate, when it evaporates dissolved sugar remains on the surface of the chocolate creating a residue known as sugar bloom. This is even more important if you are making a large batch for gift giving. If I am only making a small batch (like this one) for myself, I do not mind refrigerating as I often finish it in a a day or two 

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces Dark Chocolate (60 – 70%), coarsely chopped
• Pretzels (any kind)
• Mini Marshmallow
• Sprinkles

You can add as much or less toppings as you like, just make sure that it will all stick to the melted chocolate

How to Make Pretzel & Marshmallow Bark Chocolate

• Chopped the Chocolate 
• Temper the Chocolate
• Spread the Chocolate 
• Sprinkle Toppings

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces Dark Chocolate (60 – 70%), coarsely chopped
• Pretzels (any kind)
• Mini Marshmallow
• Sprinkles

Instructions:

1. Cut the Chocolate:Chopping chocolate into small pieces allows it to melt quickly and evenly. A large serrated knife creates small shards that melt easily. A large chef’s knife or a chocolate chopper works, too.
2. Melt the Chocolate:
   • Ban marie Method: Transfer 2/3 of the chopped chocolate in a heat poof bowl. Pour water in a pan and bring the water to a simmer. Turn-off the heat. Put the heat proof bowl on top of the pan, making sure the bottom of the pan touches the water, but make sure no water comes inside the bowl. Do not stir! Let the chocolate sit in bowl over the hot water, uncovered, until it is about 2/3 melted. Stir until completely melted: After the chocolate is about 2/3 melted, gently stir it and allow it to melt further. Letting the chocolate partially melt before stirring prevents creating large clumps of solid chocolate glued together by melted, now re-solidified chocolate.
   • Microwave Method: Place 2/3 of the dark chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes total. Add the remaining chocolate and stir until fully melted. If needed, microwave another 30 seconds to fully melt the chocolate.
3. Temper the Chocolate: Remove the bowl from the water and set it on a folded kitchen towel to absorb any water from the bottom of the bowl. Stir in the remaining chocolate (the ‘seed’). Stir slowly and gently until the chocolate is completely melted.
4. Pour the melted chocolate onto the parchment. Use an offset spatula to spread it into a 9×13-inch rectangle.
5. Spread the Chocolate: Set aside 1 tablespoon for drizzling later. Spread the rest of the chocolate on top. An offset spatula makes quick work of spreading the tempered chocolate; speed is important because you don’t want the chocolate to harden before the toppings go on.
6. Sprinkle on the Toppings: Scatter the pretzel, marshmallow and sprinkles (or any other topping you like) on top. To get the toppings to stick, lightly press on them. Drizzle the 1 tablespoon of melted chocolate. Then let the bark sit for at least 12 hours before breaking it into pieces.

Storage

Keep in a cool place, away from sunlight or heat. If making a large batch for gift giving, it is not advisable to refrigerate the bark chocolate as condensation could happen (moist water on top of the chocolate) once taken out from the refrigerator.

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Looking for a simple Easter cake to celebrate the Easter Sunday? Check out this Chocolate Sprinkles video.

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