How to turn your chocolate bark into a Valentine's Day treat

Want to make something special for your Valentine this year? Make one of my chocolate bark recipes, or this peanut butter chocolate bar recipe, and dress it up with hearts and swirls or any other pattern you can dream up.

So before you start to make your bark recipe, follow these steps:

Gather the following ingredients and tools

• 30g (1oz) white chocolate
• 7.5g (1/4 oz) milk chocolate
• a large piece of waxed paper
• a large cookie sheet

Instructions:

1. Lay out a large piece of waxed paper on a cookie sheet.

2. Melt 30g (1oz) white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave for 2 minutes on half power. You can use a coffee mug, if you don't have a small bowl. Stir until smooth.

3 Toss a few pieces of milk chocolate 7.5g (1/4 oz) in to the white chocolate to 'seed' temper it.  Stir the mixture until combined and is about the same temperature as the back of your baby finger when you dip it in the chocolate. If this is taking a long time, you can place your bowl on a bag of frozen peas or fruit while stirring to cool it quicker. Remember that you need it to be liquid, so if it starts to lump, stop cooling the chocolate and place in the microwave for no more than 4 seconds, and stir until smooth again.

4. Place your chocolate in a small plastic snack or sandwich bag. Cut a very tiny hole off of one corner.  Twist the bag and push your chocolate to the open corner, careful too not let it drip all over. 

5. Draw hearts, squiggles, dots or whatever shapes you like on the waved paper.


6. Let cool and harden in the fridge for 5 minutes while you start to make your chocolate bark or bars.

7. Once you have that ready, pour it onto the design on the waxed paper and let set. Voila! Your chocolate treat will have a fun design on the bottom of each piece.

Pour the chocolate onto the chocolate hearts and swirls.

After it is cut, turn over your bark to see your design!