Are you looking for a simple chocolate bark recipe that is just as easy to make as it is to eat? Then check out this recipe for chocolate raspberry bark! This tasty chocolate bark is made with fresh raspberries, toasted coconut flakes, hazelnuts, and of course – lots of chocolate! It is gluten free, egg free, dairy free, and vegan when made with vegan friendly chocolate.
What is in this chocolate raspberry bark?
What is in this chocolate raspberry bark? Here are the main ingredients in this chocolate raspberry bark.
- Chocolate. Chocolate is the most important ingredient in this chocolate raspberry bark. You can use melting chocolate or chocolate chips to make this bark. In most other scenarios, you should avoid using chocolate chips in place of melting chocolate because chocolate chips are specifically formulated not to melt well – imagine if your chocolate chips melted everywhere every time you made chocolate chip cookies! That being said, making chocolate bark is easy and all you have to do is pour the melted chocolate on to a baking sheet. It is okay if the chocolate does not melt perfectly and has some imperfections – they will hardly be noticeable.
- Raspberries. Raspberries are the main mix-in that is added to this chocolate bark. You can use either fresh or freeze dried raspberries when making this chocolate bark. If you plan to eat the chocolate bark within a few days, then fresh raspberries are usually easier to find and cheaper. If you want to freeze the chocolate bark and eat it over the course of a few months, then you should use freeze dried strawberries.
- Toasted coconut flakes. Toasted coconut flakes are another welcome addition to this chocolate bark. You can buy toasted coconut flakes at the store or make your own with some raw coconut flakes. All you need to make your own toasted coconut flakes is coconut flakes, sugar, water, and a little salt. It is usually much cheaper to buy raw coconut flakes then make your own toasted coconut flakes at home.
- Hazelnuts. If you have ever had Nutella before then you know that chocolate and hazelnut are a match made in heaven! You should cut the hazelnuts into small pieces before you add them to the bark. We recommend pulsing the hazelnuts with a food processor (this is the one we use) if you have one. If you do not have one, you can cut the hazelnuts with a sharp knife – or you can pick up a food processor online! Our food processor is our most beloved kitchen appliance.
How to make toasted coconut flakes?
Do you want to make your own toasted coconut flakes for this chocolate bark? Here is how to make toasted coconut flakes.
- Mix the coconut flakes with water, sugar, and salt. Toasted coconut flakes taste best when they are mixed with a little bit of salt and a little bit of sugar. Mix 1 cup of coconut flakes, 1/4 cup water, 1 tbsp white granulated sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt together in a small bowl.
- Spread the coconut flakes out on a baking sheet. Grab a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. Spread the coconut flakes out on the baking sheet. Break up any clumps of coconut that formed when you add the water.
- Bake the coconut flakes. Bake the coconut flakes in the oven at 325 degrees. Cook the coconut flakes for around 15 minutes or until the coconut flakes start to lightly brown around the edges. The coconut flakes that are at the edge of the baking sheet will start to brown first so you should mix the coconut flakes around a few times to prevent the coconut flakes on the edges from burning.
Fresh raspberries vs freeze dried raspberries
Should you use fresh raspberries or freeze dried raspberries to make this chocolate raspberry bark? You can use either fresh strawberries or freeze dried strawberries to make this chocolate raspberry bark. Here are the main advantages of fresh and freeze dried raspberries.
- Fresh is cheaper. Fresh raspberries are generally cheaper than freeze dried raspberries. The exact price of raspberries can vary based on location, but freeze dried raspberries are about twice the price of fresh raspberries where we are.
- Fresh is easier to find. In addition to being cheaper, fresh raspberries are also easier to find. This is especially true if you plan to buy them at your local grocery store. It is easier to find freeze dried raspberries online.
- Freeze dried lasts longer. Bark that is made with freeze dried raspberries lasts longer and can be frozen. If you want to freeze your chocolate raspberry bark for later then you should use freeze dried raspberries. Fresh raspberries will become mushy and have an unpleasant texture if you freeze them and thaw them.
How to store this chocolate bark
How do you store this chocolate bark? This chocolate bark should be stored in an airtight food storage container or ziplock bag. If you used freeze dried raspberries then you can store the chocolate bark in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you used fresh raspberries, we recommend storing the bark in the refrigerator and eating it within 3 days as fresh raspberries do not freeze well.
Chocolate raspberry bark
Ingredients
- 2 cups melting chocolate (we used dark chocolate)
- 1/2 cup raspberries
- 1/4 cup hazelnuts
- 2 tbsp toasted coconut flakes
- 2 tsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Pulse the hazelnuts in a food processor or chop them into small pieces with a sharp knife.
- Prepare a baking sheet for the chocolate bark by lining it with parchment paper. You should have the baking sheet prepared before you start heating the chocolate to make sure you do not burn the chocolate.
- Put the coconut oil in a small or medium sized pan and heat the coconut oil over low heat. Use the lowest heat possible. After the coconut oil has melted, add the chocolate to the pot. Stir the chocolate and coconut oil until the chocolate fully melts.
- After the chocolate melts, pour the melted chocolate out onto the baking sheet. Add the raspberries, hazelnuts, and coconut flakes to the chocolate while it is still warm and malleable.
- Put the chocolate bark in the refrigerator and let it chill until the chocolate solidifies. When the chocolate solidifies, break the chocolate bark into pieces.
Notes
Substitutions
- Dark chocolate. We recommend using dark chocolate in the recipe card, but really you can use any kind of chocolate you want. You can even make double chocolate bark by spreading a layer of white chocolate out on the baking sheet, refrigerating it, then spreading a layer of dark chocolate on top of it!
- Fresh raspberries. Freeze dried raspberries work just fine as a replacement for the fresh raspberries. If you are having trouble finding raspberries you can also try making this chocolate bark with strawberries!
Other recipes you will love
Are you looking for another tasty vegan treat that is made with fresh raspberries and chocolate? Check out this recipe for vegan raspberry truffles!
Are you looking for another fun vegan dessert that is made with chocolate and coconut? Check out this recipe for vegan coconut truffles. These truffles are made with coconut milk, coconut oil, and shredded coconut so they are packed with lots of creamy coconut flavor!
Are you looking for another tasty dessert recipe that is easy to make? Check out this recipe for easy Nutella fudge! This Nutella fudge recipe uses condensed milk and melting chocolate so it is much easier to make than fudge that is made from scratch with sugar, cocoa powder, and milk!
