How is it already time for Halloween? I’ve gotten the kids costumes ready, bought the candy, even dressed up for a Halloween party myself, and I still can’t get my head wrapped around tomorrow being October 31st. The fact that most stores are already shoving Christmas at me is almost too much for me to handle.
Despite my disbelief, it appears that we’ll be trick or treating tomorrow night. Before that, though, my girls have to go spend the day at school. I know their teachers are going to be exhausted by the end of the school day, after spending it with hoards of wannabe princesses and ninjas. I wanted to make a little Halloween treat for them, and I wanted the girls to help, so I settled on this delicious chocolate bark from Bon Appetit magazine.
I really don’t know why I don’t make chocolate bark more often around the holidays. Homemade candy really doesn’t get much easier and you can change it up in so many ways!
First off, I got my ingredients together. Just looking at this pile gave me a sugar buzz.
In some circles, dark chocolate is considered “health food”, so we’ll just call it that here to make ourselves feel a little better. The rest is pure junk, but it’s Halloween! Sugar rules!
I started by chopping up some peanut butter cups and Butterfinger bars. I also got some toffee bits ready so that when it was time to put the bark together, the girls and I could dive right in.
I quickly melted down two bags (a little over a pound) of dark chocolate chips. I used bittersweet chips because I figured all of that super sweet stuff was going on top, plus I prefer dark chocolate. If you’re not a dark chocolate fan, regular or milk chocolate chips would work just fine.
Once melted, I poured the chocolate out onto a foil lined baking sheet and spread it out until it was about 1/4 inch thick.
At this point, the girls and I added our candy and some honey roasted peanuts. We threw in some Reese’s Pieces for good measure and Halloween flair.
Then, I melted down a little bit of white chocolate and drizzled it over the candy.
Now, the bark was ready to go into the fridge and chill out for a little while. Before it did, though, I sprinkled it with a little bit of kosher salt. I made this for grownups and I’ve never met a grownup who didn’t appreciate that sweet and salty combination.
The bark needed to chill for at least 30 minutes. After that time, I took the bark out of the fridge. The foil peeled off easily and I cut it into smaller pieces on a cutting board.
I bagged them up and now the girls have a special little treat to share with their teachers! I hope they enjoy them. Odds are, after we go trick or treating tomorrow night, I’ll have enough new candy to make a batch (or five) for our family to enjoy. Happy Halloween!
HALLOWEEN PEANUT BUTTER AND TOFFEE BARK
Adapted from Bon Appetit
Halloween Peanut Butter and Toffee Bark
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 10
- 2 bags bittersweet chocolate chips
- 2 (2.1) oz. Butterfinger candy bars, cut into irregular pieces
- 3/4 cup Heath toffee bits or 3 Heath bars, chopped up
- 8 Reese’s peanut butter cups, each cut into 8 wedges
- 1/4 cup honey roasted peanuts
- 3 oz. white chocolate, chopped
- Reese’s Pieces or Halloween colored M&M’s
- kosher salt (optional)
- Line a baking sheet with foil. In a medium-sized heavy saucepan, melt the chocolate chips over low heat until melted and warm (not hot) to touch. Pour the chocolate onto the foil lined sheet and spread it out to a 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle with the Butterfingers, toffee bits, peanut butter cups and peanuts. Make sure all of the pieces touch the melted chocolate.
- Put the white chocolate in a small saucepan and melt, over low heat, stirring consistently. Dip a spoon into the white chocolate and drizzle the white chocolate over the candy, creating zig-zag lines across the bark. Sprinkle the Reese’s Pieces over the top, pressing down slightly to make sure they adhere. If desired, sprinkle with a little bit of salt.
- Chill the bark for at least 30 minutes. Peel the foil off the bottom and slice the candy into smaller pieces on a cutting board. Makes about 2 lbs. of bark.
- ENJOY!
3.1.09