Chocolate bark makes room for a little Halloween decorating without turning the kitchen into a cake workshop. Spread a thin layer, add a simple design, and let the chocolate set before breaking it into pieces. These three versions give you ghost faces, white spiderwebs and a pumpkin-seed crunch.
Each small batch makes about eight pieces. The shapes will be irregular because the chocolate is broken by hand. Make one flavour for a quiet treat or choose two for a mixed plate; there is no need to make all three at once.
Before you start
Line a small tray with baking parchment before melting anything. A chocolate rectangle about 12 by 18 centimetres gives these quantities a manageable thickness. The parchment needs to lie flat, and the tray needs enough room in the refrigerator to sit level.
Use dry bowls and dry spoons. Melt in short bursts and stir between them, stopping when the remaining small pieces melt as you stir. A small food bag can stand in for a piping bag: fill it, push the chocolate into one corner, and snip off only a tiny opening. Make the first dot or line on a spare corner of parchment.
1. Ghost Bark
Makes about 8 pieces
Ingredients
- 200 g white chocolate, chopped
- 30 g semisweet chocolate, chopped
Method
- Line a small tray with parchment. Melt the white and semisweet chocolate separately in dry microwave-safe bowls in 20-second bursts, stirring between bursts.
- Spread the white chocolate into a rectangle about 12 × 18 cm. Pipe eight little faces with the semisweet chocolate, leaving space between them. Give each face two eyes and an oval mouth.
- Chill for about 20 minutes, or until completely firm. Break into pieces around the faces.
Place the faces far enough apart that each piece can have its own expression. A small food bag with a tiny corner cut off works as a piping bag. Keep the bowl and spoon dry when melting the chocolate.
2. Spiderweb Bark
Makes about 8 pieces
Ingredients
- 200 g dark chocolate, chopped
- 50 g white chocolate, chopped
Method
- Line a small tray with parchment. Melt the dark and white chocolate separately in dry bowls in 20-second microwave bursts, stirring between bursts.
- Spread the dark chocolate into a rectangle about 12 × 18 cm. While it is still soft, pipe several white spirals over it. Pull a toothpick from the centre of each spiral towards its edges to make webs.
- Chill for about 20 minutes, or until firm. Break into roughly eight pieces.
Make the webs while both chocolates are still fluid enough to move together. Use a fresh part of the toothpick, or wipe it, between strokes. Broken shards can show part of a web; they do not all need an identical design.
3. Pumpkin Seed Bark
Makes about 8 pieces
Ingredients
- 200 g semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 1/4 cup roasted unsalted shelled pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- A small pinch of flaky sea salt
Method
- Line a small tray with parchment. Melt the chocolate in a dry bowl in short microwave bursts, stirring until smooth. Stir in the cinnamon.
- Spread into a rectangle about 12 × 18 cm. Scatter the pumpkin seeds and a small pinch of flaky salt over the surface. Press very lightly so the seeds stay attached.
- Chill for about 20 minutes, or until firm. Break into roughly eight pieces.
Use shelled green pumpkin seeds so the finished bark has a pleasant crunch. Roasted unsalted seeds let you control the finishing salt. This is bark with seeds on top, rather than a thick chocolate-and-seed cluster.
Break, arrange and serve
Give the chocolate time to become completely firm before lifting the parchment. For the ghost version, aim the breaks between the faces rather than straight through the eyes. Spiderweb pieces can carry part of a web; the pattern still reads clearly across a small plate.
Keep finished pieces in a covered container in the refrigerator until you are ready to arrange them. This simple chilled method does not include tempering, so the bark can soften in a warm room. Set out a small plate for eating and bring out more when it is needed. A few contrasting pieces look appealing without filling every inch of the table.
More ideas for your table
3 Easy Halloween Breakfast Ideas: Ghost Toast, Pumpkin Waffles and Spiderweb Yogurt
3 Cozy Apple Desserts for Two: Skillet Apples, Crumble Cups and Shortcakes
For more seasonal food ideas, browse the Halloween party menu.
