A Calculated Whisk

Creative paleo and gluten-free recipes

  • Home
  • About Me
    • Photography Portfolio
  • Cookbook
  • Recipe Index
  • Paleo
    • Paleo Eating
    • A Paleo Pantry
  • Blogging

Salted Pepita Chocolate Bark (Great Gift Idea!)

November 23, 2013 By Becky 2 Comments

Here’s another post with an easy idea for a great gift: salted pepita chocolate bark.  I brought little baggies of this to work last week, and everybody loved them.  My coworkers were convinced that I bought the bark somewhere fancy.  No one needs to know that this gourmet treat takes only minutes to make!  I wrapped mine up in little cellophane treat bags, but you could also pack a bunch up in a nice holiday tin for a more sizeable gift.
If you missed my first post in the great gift ideas series, check it out.  When you’re done making vanilla salt, come back here to read about the bark.  See you in five minutes!
Done?  If not, you can substitute any coarse or flaky sea salt here, but the vanilla salt really takes this over the top.  The pepitas provide a nice crunch and a pop of color, and the combination of vanilla bean, salt, and dark chocolate is absolutely amazing.
I like to make this right before bed, then leave it out to harden while I sleep.  When I wake up in the morning, it’s ready to break into pieces.  Because of this routine, Ben calls this “breakfast chocolate”.  I can assure you, however, that it’s delicious any time of day.  I’m planning on making some more so I can put out a big bowl of it on Thanksgiving, for those of us who like to nibble on something sweet while waiting for the turkey.  Enjoy!

Ingredients (makes about 30 pieces):

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I used Guittard)
1/3 cup pepitas (raw, shelled pumpkin seeds)

1/4 cup dried cranberries, dried currants, or raisins (optional)
About 1/2 teaspoon vanilla salt, or to taste (or any flaky or coarse sea salt)

Line an 9×13 inch pan with parchment paper.

Melt the chocolate in a saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly, or by microwaving it in a heatproof bowl for 30-second intervals, stirring in between.

Pour the chocolate into the prepared pan, and use a small spatula to spread it into an even layer.  Sprinkle most of the pepitas, dried fruit (if using), and vanilla salt on top, and use the spatula to swirl the toppings into the chocolate a bit.  Sprinkle the remaining pepitas, dried fruit, and salt on top.  Let the chocolate harden for at least 2 hours, then slice or break into pieces.

Chocolate bark will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for a very long time.  I always eat it fast, though, or wrap it up and give it away as a gift.

This post contains affiliate links.  If you make a purchase on Amazon after clicking one of my links, I receive a small commission (the price you pay is not affected).  Thank you so much for supporting my site!

Filed Under: gluten free, paleo, recipe, vegan, vegetarian Tagged With: ACW original, candy, chocolate, dairy free, DIY, fall, five ingredients or less, gift, make your own, no-bake, no-cook, pepitas, vanilla salt, winter

« Homemade Vanilla Sugar & Vanilla Salt (Great Gift Idea!)
Lemon Sugar Cookies (Vegan, Nut-free) »

Comments

  1. Janie Penn says

    November 24, 2013 at 4:54 am

    … looks so pretty with the green of the pepitas …

    Reply
    • Rebecca Winkler says

      November 24, 2013 at 4:12 pm

      Thank you! They make it feel healthy, too 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hi, I’m Becky!

Welcome to A Calculated Whisk, where I share creative paleo and gluten-free recipes. Learn more about me here.

Connect with ACW on social media:

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Looking for something?

Subscribe via email and get a free e-book!

Instant Pot Recipes

Instant Pot Colcannon

Instant Pot Colcannon

Instant Pot Balsamic Short Ribs

Instant Pot Tomato Sauce (made with fresh tomatoes)

Instant Pot Short Rib Ragu

Instant Pot Short Rib Ragu

In a hurry? Try these 30-minute recipes:

Grilled Pork Chops and Peaches

Stuffed Avocados with Shrimp and Mango + Jalapeño Aioli

Stuffed Avocados with Shrimp and Mango

Vietnamese Beef Lettuce Wraps

Grain-free Crepes with Apricot Preserves

my healthy aperture gallery
rodelle brand ambassador

Privacy Policy

All text and photographs (c) Rebecca Winkler 2013-2020 unless otherwise noted.

Copyright 2013-2020 Rebecca Winkler · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Genesis Framework · Powered by Wordpress