August seems to be a month of lateness. No matter how much I try I can’t seem to gain any traction and I find myself constantly apologising to people for being late, for handing in things late, for getting back to people late or turning up to dinner late. The first words that tumble out of my mouth are “I’m sorry” combined with a sheepish smile reserved for such very occasions.
Cinnamon almond and sea salt dark chocolate bark
I’d get caught in queues and in traffic with people going at a snail’s pace. Just yesterday I was running late and in the supermarket where I spotted what I thought was a miracle, a checkout without anyone in the queue aside from one woman. I soon learned the reason why. She had insisted that the checkout lady clean every inch of the conveyor belt until it was sparkling clean and bone dry! The job that the girl did apparently wasn’t sufficient so she grabbed the paper towels and finished the job off herself. Everyone else of course had given her a wide berth but in my frantic state I hadn’t seen it. I ignored her as she glared at me for putting down my goods on her newly cleaned conveyor belt and rushed off without giving her a withering glance as I would have normally.
Lemon sherbert white chocolate bark
One thing I was determined not to be late for was Father’s Day this year this coming Sunday the 4th of September (for those of us in Australia at least). I got the reminder a week or so before when we were arranging Father’s Day lunches and dinners (and my uncle seemed to want in on the action so we have three fathers this year!). I got the idea from a recent trip to Canada. I was gifted with a bouquet of chocolate bark from Edmonton chocolatier Kerstin’s Chocolates and when I saw it I fell upon it like a diva receiving an ornate arrangement of flowers. It was a fantastic idea and I immediately thought of my mother and making her one of Mother’s Day next year but then stopped and thought that this might be the perfect gift for Father’s Day too. After all fathers like chocolate too. Chocolate bark is one of the easiest things to make of course and it is simply melting good chocolate, spreading it out and then sprinkling toppings over it and breaking it up!
As for flavours, it’s easy to tailor the flavours to whatever sweets or toppings the lucky recipient likes. I liked the idea of balancing the sweet white chocolate with crushed tangy lemon sherbert lollies and experimented with a more adult sea salt and cinnamon toasted almond and dark chocolate.
Milo white chocolate bark
It is also an entry to the Daring Baker’s challenge, albeit a very late one (accidentally in keeping with the late theme). I wasn’t able to make two sweets but I did want to participate as it has been a while since my last Daring Baker’s event. One of my favourite bloggers Lisa was hosting so I didn’t want to miss out. The August 2011 Daring Bakers’ Challenge was hosted by Lisa of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drive and Mandy of What the Fruitcake?!. These two sugar mavens challenged us to make sinfully delicious candies! This was a special challenge for the Daring Bakers because the good folks at http://www.chocoley.com offered an amazing prize for the winner of the most creative and delicious candy.
Candy cane dark chocolate bark
I promise that if you do choose to make this, you can have this done within an hour and you’ll also be giving your father something hand made and tailored to his own taste. Oh and by the way the chubby tot in the picture in the photo frame is Mr NQN as a baby and his father. I couldn’t find any pictures of my father and I as he was always holding the camera!
So tell me Dear Reader, what will you be doing for your father this Father’s Day?
Easy Chocolate Bark Bouquet
Makes 1 large bouquet or 2 small bouquets
- 300g/10 ozs best quality dark chocolate (for those who want to know about tempering the instructions follow below)
- 300g/10 ozs best quality white chocolate
- Whatever toppings or items that the recipient likes. Suggestions: 3-4 lemon sherbert lollies (for lemon white chocolate bark), 2-3 tablespoons Milo (for milo white chocolate bark), 4-5 small candy canes or a bar of Peppermint Crisp (for a mint dark chocolate bark), cinnamon almonds and sea salt (for almond sea salt bark)
You will also need: wrapping paper (a 45x45cm square for a large bouquet or 30x30cms for two small bouquets), clear cellophane, sticky tape and ribbon.
1. Line two trays with parchment paper-I find it best to spray the tray itself with some non stick spray so that the parchment sticks to it. Firstly get your sprinkles ready as they need to be sprinkled on as soon as the chocolate is spread out. Place them in a ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
2. In a clean, dry bowl, melt the chocolate over a double boiler (a heatproof bowl sitting on top of a pot of simmering water) ensuring that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the simmering water. Or do it in the microwave in 60 second bursts on 50% power stirring between bursts.
3. When the chocolate is completely melted and smooth spread it out along a tray. You can do as many flavours as you want although I’d recommend up to four flavours and just put two flavours on the one tray of chocolate. An example is half a sheet with lemon sherbert lollies and the other half with Milo. If for any reason your chocolate sets really quickly use a hairdryer (yes really!) to make it soft again but do this before you add the sprinkles or they will go everywhere. And yes I learned this from experience 
Allow to set-either on the bench or in the fridge is fine. Then when ready, snap into shards.
4. Make a bouquet by placing it in the wrapping paper and putting the shards in a pointy triangular pattern. Sticky tape the ends at the back of the bouquet. Then carefully turning the bouquet over place the bouquet face down on the cellophane and sticky tape up the top and sides so that the sticky tape shows on the back only. Add ribbon. And voila! You have your own chocolate bark bouquet!
Tempering chocolate
• Finely chop chocolate if in bar/slab form.
• Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
• Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (make sure the bowl does not touch the water).
Tip: Make sure that your bowl fits snugly into the saucepan so that there’s no chance of steam forming droplets that
may fall into your chocolate. If water gets into your chocolate it will seize.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently stir the chocolate so that it melts evenly
• Once it’s melted, keep an eye on the thermometer, as soon as it reaches 45°C / 113°F remove from heat (between 45°C-50°C / 113°F-122°F for dark chocolate)
• Pour ¾ of the melted chocolate onto a marble or granite slab or worktop
• Using a scraper or large palette knife move the chocolate around the surface to help it cool
Tip: Keep the motions neat and tidy, if you’re not working with a lot of chocolate you don’t want to spread it too far otherwise you may end up with chocolate that begins to cool too quickly and start to set as well as drops below
• the necessary temperature. Use a motion that folds the chocolate on itself
• Check temperature regularly with a thermometer
• Once it reaches 27°C / 80°F put the chocolate back into the heatproof bowl with the remaining chocolate
• Gently stir together with a rubber spatula
• Check the temperature to see if it’s risen back up to the working temperature of the chocolate (milk, dark or white) as seen in the above chart
• If the temperature has not risen to its working temperature, put the bowl back over the simmering water, stirring gently
• IMPORTANT: You really need to keep an eye on the temperature as it can rise quicker than you think, so as soon as it’s up to its working temperature, remove from heat
• It’s now tempered and ready to use
Tip: If you’re using the chocolate to dip a lot of truffles etc. which means the chocolate will be sitting off heat for a while it will naturally start to thicken as it cools. To keep it at an ideal viscosity for even coating, put the bowl over steam for 30sec-1min every 5-10mins, just do not let the temperature go over the working temperature!
Tip: Having the chocolate in a warmed glass bowl and wrapped in hot kitchen towel can also help keep the chocolate at its working temperature for longer
Tip: It is also easier to keep the heat if you work with larger amounts of chocolate rather than small amounts. Any leftover chocolate can be kept to be used later and then re-tempered
Tip: Remember, don’t let any water get into your chocolate at any stage of the tempering process!
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74 Comments | Add your own
A marvelous gift!
Cheers,
Rosa
I love making chocolate bark, and mixing different kinds for a bouquet is fabulous! The lemon candy on white chocolate looks great, but I really want to taste a little of each, please.
So clever! And not to mention delicious!
I’ll be making banana custard again! but I reckon Dad would have loved the bark – especially the milo one!
T x
Gorgeous, You are one busy lady, i sure it would amaze us mere mortals how much you must do in a day! I too intended to do this challenge but ran out of time ;(
What a great idea for fathers day! The kids and I will make it together for poppy and dad!
An edible bouquet, practical and delicious. I am sure many fathers would appreciate this over a flower bouquet!
Fathers day is in June for us here in the UK, but a great idea for all those hard to buy for men. I’ve got to give it a go- Popping candy perhaps? GG
What a simple idea! I make chocolate bark all the time, but I never would have thought of doing this. I usually pack them up into colourful noodle boxes, lined with cellophane.
Oooh, can I have some of that Milo flavoured bark please?
Wow, tempering chocolate, definitely got to try that soon.
ooooh how delightful!
Sadly I wont be catching up with dad becuase he is interstate
Your chocolate bark bouquet looks amazing! I bags the peppermint crunch bark.
That’s an awesome fathers day idea! My dad would love this!
So easy and looks fantastic! I’m Definatley making this for fathers day!
Cinnamon almond and sea salt dark chocolate bark…that sounds divine! :>
looks amazing as usual..unfortunately all that tempering business freaks me out..
In malaysia, father’s day is on the third week of june.
I have the worst luck with tempering chocolate lol. It looks lovely!
I will not be doing anything for my father . He has been gone since 1996 He and I did not have a great relationship and I did all my grieving for him before he passed away due to complications of Alzheimer’s( un diagnosed by dr’s.
My lovely father died 4 years ago, but he would have loved this chocolate. I’ll make it anyway.
Beautiful! What a lovely gift. My father would have loved it as well.
Lisa is one of my favorite DBakers too, but I missed out. I think I am going to try this bark though…it looks so versatile, easy and fun! What a precious photo:)
Very nice idea for a gift for just about anyone, really! I especially like the idea of Milo on white chocolate – mmm.
—I think this is a superb gift…Extremely Creative & Beautiful. L. Especially the “Lemon sherbert white chocolate bark.” Looooovely.
x Hope you dad has a nice Father’s Day.
what a great idea!
These look so delicious
love the Milo one!! Im making dad a chilli hamper complete with homemade extra spicy kimchi haha
ooooo great idea, I have no idea what to get my Dad… so hard to buy for, and I don’t want to be boring!
This is a fantastic idea! I wish I could make it for my father but he’s got a slew of health problems and diabetes is one of them.
All I can say is WOW!
I lost my recipe for a chocolate decadence cake that i used for Passover, no flour, I used potato starch. Any chance you have one.
Thanks,
Frummie
What a great idea – can’t wait to try it!
What a great idea! My Dad has everything he needs really, so this is an awesome idea for a Father’s Day present. He loves candied ginger so I think I’ll make him some with that on it, plus another with old-fashioned boiled lollies. Thanks for the idea, Dad loves chocolates and sweets so this is perfect!
Oh goodness, Lorraine, I know just what you mean about lateness this month! Or should I say, last month, as August is about to be vaporized…where has the time gone?! I love the bouquet — in fact, this may be the only bouquet I’d prefer over flowers!
I am always afraid working with choclate, unless it’s just to melt for some recipe that needs dark chocolate. I have to practice the template thing.
By the way, Father’s day in Perú is on the third Sunday of June…so or you are very late or you really anticipate it…!!!
Lorraine, your chocolate bark is gorgeous and such a great idea to present it to your fathr in a bouquet. Mom gets the flowers, Dad gets the candy. Men are always happy with food gifts (or beer, I guess lol) Thank you so much for joining in and sharing such a treat!
What a very different way of presenting gift chocolate
! Stylish and fun at the same time! I cannot give my beloved father anything except to live in the way he taught me. He passed away at a v early age in 1964 – there is not a day I have not missed him since nor heeded his words when I am doing something he would find foolish! If I have the fb knowledge, hope to post a photo of love this Sunday! Oh, he would not have minded the chocolate sheaf either: had a sweet tooth 
!
Great idea. Seems you have inspired many people. Hope your Dads like the gift! Nice explanation of tempering too…. made to look easy, in your usual style
Lorraine, such a great idea for gift…so pretty and so yummie! I love all the flavors
Hope you have a fantastic week ahead!
When I saw the first photo, I thought, “huh, that looks just like a bouquet from Kerstin’s Chocolates”. I’m thrilled that you were inspired by those wonderful chocolate barks – yours look pretty tempting too!
Michelle
Edmonton, Canada
Great idea! I love the lomon sherbet one the most. I’m making my dad some Anzac biscuits, they post really well and they’re his favourites, but maybe I could send some of this too, yummm
Hee hee…does Mr NQN know he is naked on the internet?
Oh no! Father’s Day!! *eep* My mum told me that the best present for him would be if I got the insurance sorted and bought their car… I can’t help thinking I’m going to fail at that…
Chocolate to the rescue!
This is s great idea, looks ‘smashing’! Love chubby mr nqn
Btw your mobile version doesn’t seem to work today….
How very creative and delicious!
Yum! Where did you find candy canes in August?
I’m hosting a little lunch at our house. The markets up the road have Alaskan King crabs which dad loves so we’ll have them and whatever else I can think of to go with it.
What a fantastic idea! You make it look so easy to do. Love your choice of paper as well. Makes the whole thing look so sheik rather than coming off as crafty.
What a fantastic idea – I wish I’d read about it a week ago though. I’ve run out of time to make anything. We’ll be in Byron Bay this weekend for my sister’s wedding so Father’s Day has kind of been tacked on as an after thought. Fish and chips on the beach might be the order of the day.
This is such a clever idea. I would have to refrain from doing this for my father – he has diabetes so not a good idea! Although he does have such a sweet tooth! Such a great gift idea. Shall keep this in mind next time.
This is such a great idea that I bookmarked already for some other occasion (my dad is oversea…so not for father’s day). I think this is a fan project with the kids too. Thanks for sharing the idea
Another brilliant idea! My Dad lives out of Sydney so I won’t be seeing him (and his ideal would be a block of Cadbury Dairy Milk) but this could be perfect for my father-in-law
white chocolate and sherbet! OMG YES!
I made white chocolate with dried strawberries for Boo’s teachers a few years ago. Packaged with a tiny craft hammer to take out their frustrations.
You never cease to amaze me with your sense of taste – elegant and classy is how I would describe you. The chocolate shots make beautiful background wallpaper too!
Brilliant idea, love it! I miss my Dad!
Ciao
A.
Brilliant idea! I’ve made an adult version of chocolate crackles by just mixing all my puffed cereals, finely minced mixed peel and sugared macadamia nuts with melted premium dark chocolate but never thought about just adding toppings. Brain is ticking …!
Thanks for reminding me, I completely forgot about Father’s Day! I’m such a bad daughter
I would attempt this for him, but he’s really not the chocolate type. I might make some for myself though!
aw what a great idea! they remind me of the chocolate blocks you’d get at Koko Black in Melbourne
Great idea, making this at home!
Living in the UK it is so confusing with mother’s and father’s day, as it occurs on dates different to Sweden. But this is a great present whenever it occurs!!
I got slightly confused when I saw ‘Father’s Day’, then went into a momentary panic thinking I’d forgotten to post my dad a card.. till I realised it was August. I never knew that Father’s Day is celebrated later in Australia!
p.s. Milo chocolate bark? Oh yes, please.
What a fantastic idea, and so much better than buying a gift from the shop. I especially love the sound of the Milo bark. Yum!!!!
My parents are overseas on holiday so we won’t be doing anything for fathers day.
What a lovely gift! I love the flavour combinations. I’ve never made bark before but I must give it a try after reading your post.
We’ll be down in red hill for fathers day, not sure of plans but deliciousness will be involved
this looks great, I’ve always wanted to make my own bark!
Heidi xo
I would love to make the vanilla essence as I have some beans from PNG. However, having a hard time to fine the great little bottles you used?
Great blog, many thanks.
Absolutely genius! I would love to receive a bouquet of chocolate over flowers.
I love that pic of Mr NQN! This is a lovely idea for Dads with a sweet tooth (like my hubby!).
nice gift idea – we have a male lineage of chocoholics in my family so it is great for father’s day – glad you have caught up on one thing – I know the feeling of chasing my tail
hmm…can i switch it up and get cinnamon almonds on white chocolate and peppermint on white chocolate? thanks a million.
Love the idea of a chocolate bark bouquet – sadly my dad doesn’t really like chocolate, so I guess I’ll just have to make it for my mom next year
What a great idea to present chocolate bark as a bouquet! Excellent job!
Oh please darling girl, the tot is distracting me from reading your post & recipe! He’s CUTE & chubby too! What a great bouquet. I never did get to the challenge this time…sigh! This bark holds loads of promise though, and I have it bookmarked for cooler days! HUGS!
Gorgeous as usual…great idea…always wondering what to give out that appears equal…(3 dads!)
What a good idea! It is just like rocky road but bigger pieces.
looks like a great gift idea and i like how easily you can customise the different flavors… i’m just scared of getting the tempering wrong!
I’m terrible with chocolate & just melt & use. Tempering sounds too complicated (& I don’t have a thermometer!) It still tastes good though
Love the lemon sherbet/white choc & dark choc/cinnamon almond combo’s. Yum!
NQN, just wanted to let you know that I made this for my Dad, Father in Law and Grandfather in law….absolute hit! Although I used Chai Almonds instead of the cinnamon ones you suggested….they were delicious! (although I probably shouldn’t have eaten quite so many before hand) Thanks for the great idea…I am most definitely in the good books!
Your bouquet is such a clever idea, what a beautiful way to present chocolate bark!
Gorgeous treats, as always.
Thanks for taking part in the candylicious challenge
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