Almond Bark
Almond bark is the kind of treat that looks and tastes impressive but is actually fairly straightforward to make. Melt chocolate, add almonds, and let it set up into chocolate-covered perfection. Whether you're craving the sweetness of white chocolate, the creamy richness of milk chocolate, or the bold intensity of dark chocolate, this recipe adapts to your mood and pantry.
Equipment
- 1 Measuring Cups
- 1 Microwave Safe Plastic Bowl
- 1 Rubber Spatula
- 1 Parchment Paper
- 1 Baking Sheet
- 1 Offset Spatula
Ingredients
- 12 oz Chocolate (white, milk or dark)
- 1 ½ cup Almonds (raw with skins on)
Instructions
Toast the Almonds
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Place almonds on a baking sheet in a single layer and place in oven for 20-25 minutes. After 10 minutes give the almonds a flip/stir and bake for another 5 minutes. Stir/flip the almonds again, and give them another 5 minutes. You should be able to smell the toasted almonds when the pan is out of the oven. If they aren't too brown you can decide to give them another 5 minutes, just keep a close eye on them - they can go from toasty to burnt quickly.
- Set almonds aside to cool.
Melting the Chocolate – whether using Couverture or non-couverture chocolate.
- If using solid chocolate, chop it up into very small bits. If using chips no need to chop them up. Place chocolate in a microwave safe plastic bowl. See notes on why plastic is better than glass for melting chocolate.
- Place bowl of chocolate in the microwave and microwave for 45 seconds. Give the chocolate a thorough stir to help distribute the heat, even if it looks like nothing melted. Place back in the microwave for 30 seconds then stir again. Now use 20-10 second bursts in the microwave with a lot of stirring between bursts until you get to the point that most of the chocolate has melted but some chunks remain. Continue to stir and stir until those chunks finally melt.
Assembling the Almond Bark
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add the toasted almonds into the bowl of melted chocolate, reserving about a 1/4-1/2 cup of almonds that you will sprinkle on top (optional). It is ok if they are warm, but you don’t want them to be hot as that can overheat the chocolate.
- Stir to completely coat the almonds.
- Pour the chocolate almond mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and use an offset spatula to even out the layer.
- Sprinkle the top of the melted chocolate with the optional leftover almonds. Give them a little press down so they will be held tightly by the chocolate when it solidifies.
- Allow to cool until solid. At least 20 minutes.
Notes
- Melting chocolate in the microwave is one of the simplest ways to temper or melt chocolate, but it requires careful attention. Chocolate is extremely sensitive to heat - just a small amount of overheating can cause issues such as bloom (white streaks or blotches) or a dull, soft finish without that satisfying snap. Using a plastic bowl instead of glass helps prevent this, since plastic doesn't hold residual heat the way glass does. Once the bowl is removed from the microwave, the temperature of the chocolate won't continue to rise as quickly, giving you more control.
- I don't like to put chocolate in the fridge to set up, as chocolate can be temperamental to temperature shocks. So just be patient and let it cool and harden at room temperature. However, if you live somewhere hot, you may need to use the fridge.