Chocolate bark may be a luxurious gift, but did you know it’s incredibly easy to make? Whether last-minute dessert idea or special stocking filler, chocolate bark is the low-effort, tasty treat. All you need is some good-quality chocolate and a handful of toppings – it’s that easy.
It’s also totally customisable and that’s where the creative fun begins. Sweet, salty, chewy or crumbly, mix and match the recipient's favourite ingredients – including some fun Nestlé treats – to create their perfect bite of bark.
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Chocolate Bark Variations
There are no rules when it comes to chocolate bark flavours – mix freeze-dried rose petals with Aero® Peppermint if that’s your thing! Here are some of our favourite combinations, all for grown-ups to share and enjoy:
1. Smarties® and Milkybar®
A tasty treat for the kids – portion these into 30g bags for gifting.
- 40g Milkybar®, chopped
- 38g Smarties® Tube
2. Jelly Tots® and mini marshmallows
This colourful, jewel‑encrusted chocolate bark, made with Jelly Tots, is perfect for parties and loved by kids. Portion into 30g bag
- 42g Jelly Tots® bag
- 25g mini marshmallows
3. Yorkie® Raisin & Biscuit and Pretzels
Creamy chunks of Yorkie® make this variation delicious!
- 44g Yorkie® Biscuit & Raisin bar, chopped
- 40g pretzels, crushed
4. Aero® Peppermint and Pistachios
Your two favourite green treats – mint and pistachio – all in one package.
- 40g Aero® Peppermint Bubbles, chopped
- 40g pistachios, chopped
5. KitKat® Hazelnut and Toasted Hazelnuts
Because we all need a break at some point over Christmas.
- 40g KitKat® Hazelnut, chopped
- 40g toasted hazelnuts, chopped
6. Quality Street® bark
Create a specially customised bark with a different section of toppings for each Quality Street® flavour sweet – something to share with every member of the family!
- 300g Quality Street® Sharing Bag
- Coconut Eclair: Desiccated coconut, chopped macadamia nuts
- Strawberry Creme: Freeze-dried strawberries, dark chocolate chips
- Orange Chocolate Crunch and Orange Creme: Finely grated orange rind, chopped toasted almonds
- The Purple One: Chopped toasted hazelnuts, drizzle carnation caramel
- Green Triangle: Chopped toasted hazelnuts, milk chocolate sprinkles
- Fudge: Golden sprinkles or caramel fudge chunks
- Toffee Penny and Toffee Finger: Golden sprinkles, milk chocolate chips
For a festive holiday bark, place 20 Quality Street® into the melted chocolate and finish with a sprinkle of dried cranberries or Christmas-themed sprinkles. Share a few shards with a cuppa after your Boxing Day walk!
Decorating Tip
Once the melted chocolate is on the tray, it’s time to get creative. Chop or crumble your ingredients and think about size and texture. Do you want chunky pieces of biscuit or a fine crumble? Whole Aero® Bubbles or broken pieces so you can see the bubbly texture? For a marble effect, melt 20g of Milkybar® and pour it over the melted milk chocolate, then use a wooden skewer to drag lines and create a pattern. Don’t wait too long until you add the toppings, or the chocolate could start to set before you get the toppings into it. For a finishing touch, add a dusting of cocoa powder, icing sugar or a sprinkle of edible glitter.
For other classic no-bake chocolate gift ideas, try our Yorkie® Chocolate Tiffin, or treat the mint lover in your life with some Aero® Mint Chocolate Truffles or our Aero® Peppermint Rocky Road!
Storage Instructions
Once the chocolate bark has set, cut it into pieces and store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. If it is very hot, you can store it in the fridge. If the bark gets a white appearance from the fridge, don’t be alarmed. It’s called ‘chocolate bloom’, and it’s still perfectly safe to eat. It’s caused by moisture or cold temperatures. You can also wrap and freeze the chocolate bark for up to three months.
You will need
- A baking tray
- Baking paper
Ingredients
- 300g milk chocolate, chopped
- Your chosen variation (see above)
Each square with smarties typically contains:
of an adult’s Reference Intake (RI)*
Energy per 100g: 2163kJ/517kcal
Method
- Place the chopped chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high in 30-second bursts. Stir in between each burst until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Line the baking tray with the paper and pour the chocolate onto it. Tilt the tray left and right to get it to spread evenly. You may need to give it a little help with a spatula.
- Add the topping from your chosen variation, or get creative and make up your own blend.
- Let it sit at room temperature for a few hours to set. If you are in a rush, you can pop it into the fridge, but the rapid cooling might cause the chocolate to bloom and take on a white appearance. Don’t worry, your bark is still good to eat and will taste delicious.
- Once the bark has cooled, cut or snap the bark into pieces, enjoy and share!
Top Tips
To get even-sized pieces, lightly run a knife through the finished bark to create score lines. As the chocolate cools, the score lines will make it easier to snap when it is set. Alternatively, cut the bark at room temperature with a sharp knife. Or if you prefer the artistic chaos of the crack, snap the bark into shards.
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