The holidays are here, whether we are ready or not. I’m sharing my super easy recipe for Dark Chocolate Macadamia Nut Bark. It’s easy to make and the perfect quick gift to give as long as you keep all the ingredients on hand. Prior to having kids, I would spend a full weekend in December baking a wide variety of sweet treats. Then I had children, and my free time went out the window. Now, my goal is to spend an afternoon making a few sweet treats for my neighbors. I love to make chocolate barks – the sky is the limit, and you can whip up a batch relatively quickly before a party or give them as a last-minute gift to a neighbor.

If you plan to make a few trays of this bark, I suggest heading to Sam’s Club to grab macadamia nuts and dried apricots in bulk. It will be more cost effective. I like to use a good premium dark chocolate for melting. After all, you will be eating this, so you want the best. I love no-mess, so I use a silicone baking sheet liner or, if you don’t have one, you can use parchment paper (I found parchment paper at Publix near the aluminum foil and plastic wrap).

The key to making bark is having all the ingredients prepped ahead of time. Once the chocolate is melted, you need to work fast. Spread evenly on the baking sheet and then sprinkle on the toppings. If you have kids, this is the part where you can get them involved. Obviously, make sure hands are washed very well or give them gloves to wear, then let them help “decorate” the bark.

For this recipe, I use macadamia nuts, dried apricots, and dried pomegranates. They all complement each other perfectly. Once your bark is done, you’ll need to place the tray in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set. Once the chocolate has set and is hard, you can break up the bark. Multiple methods here: my method of choice is breaking it with my hands. However, you need to work very quickly so it doesn’t melt. You don’t realize it, but your hands hold heat, which will melt the chocolate. You also can take a knife and carefully stab at the tray, breaking up the bark. You can package it in cellophane bags, in a tin, or place it on a plate.

The next time you go to Publix, Walmart or Sam’s Club, make sure you grab the ingredients to have on hand. Nothing comes from the heart more than baked goods. Even for the non-baker, you, too, can make this super simple dark chocolate macadamia nut bark to be shared with all.

Dark Chocolate Macadamia Nut Bark
Prep Time: 10 minutes + 30 minutes resting
Servings: 8
Ingredients
9.7 oz bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped
1 6 oz package of semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped
1/2 cup dried pomegranates, chopped
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
Directions

In a frying pan, toast macadamia nuts until golden brown 3-5 minutes on medium-high (tossing frequently). Remove from the pan and rough chop.

While the nuts are roasting, begin to melt the bittersweet dark chocolate. I use a microwave on the “melt” setting in 30-second intervals. Mix every 30 seconds, then add in the semi-sweet chocolate. Mix until just melted.
Pour on a lined cookie sheet, top with chopped macadamia nuts, dried pomegranates, and dried apricots.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until hard. Break apart and package. Store in sealed container for 3-5 days.