Cranberry, Pepita and Cocao Nib Chocolate Bark

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BetterWithCraisins #CollectiveBias

For today’s post, we’re partnering with Ocean Spray® Craisins® Dried Cranberries to bring you a delicious and healthy autumn treat! This Cranberry, Pepita, and Cocao Nib Chocolate Bark is sweet, salty, and inspired by fall. Rich dark chocolate, dried cranberries, coconut, roasted pecans, slightly-bitter cocao nibs, and pumpkin seeds come together to form an addictive, glorious bark. And, quite frankly, it’s as irresistible as it is pretty.

Case in point: yesterday I made my way into the kitchen, thinking I would take another photo or two of the bark for Instagram. I stood in front of the counter, staring at the same spot where I knew I had left a nice-sized container of the bark. It wasn’t there.

“Umm. Has anyone seen the cranberry and cocao nib chocolate bark I made?” I asked my family, trying to sound non-accusatory.

Their faces said it all. That bark was so gone.

But that’s okay. This bark is so easy to make that another batch would be ready-to-go and broken up into beautiful little irregular shapes in under twenty minutes.

As my close friends and family know, I’m a big fan of shopping in bulk. Although Craisins® Dried Cranberries are unavailable at my local Sam’s Club right now, I was able to easily find a large 24 oz. value pack at Albertsons. Score! I know this bag will get me through all of my autumn and holiday baking, of which there’s a lot.

So, I don’t know about you, but when the weather gets colder, I tend to crave sweets, baked goods, and not-so-healthy things way more. And, being a professional Pastry Chef, I get lots of requests for baked goodies and sweets during this time of the year.

For the first time in five years, I live in the same state as my mom. My mom has a huge sweet tooth just like me. She’s been requesting quite a lot of things. “Bella, on Monday do you want to make us dessert and watch reality TV?” Um, YES. My mom’s my best friend, so I love hanging out with her. However, she does not always trust my health-ified creations. (Zucchini noodles was an interesting thing to get her to try.) But she ended up absolutely loving this bark.

…after I explained to her what a cocao nib was! I’m in love with cocao nibs. Raw cocao nibs are dried and fermented cocao beans that are crushed into tiny little shards. They’re slightly bitter, nutty, and can be tangy or fruity if roasted. They’re a bit of an acquired taste for some, but most who love dark chocolate dig cocao nibs as well. Their texture is completely different than chocolate (think roasted coffee beans), making this a perfect crunchy topping to the cocao nib chocolate bark. Plus, cocao nibs have tons of health benefits. Nibs have antioxidants, fiber, magnesium, iron, and mood-improving qualities.

Then, of course, we add our star of the show to the bark: dried cranberries. These tart, ruby red beauties provide a 1/2 cup of fruit for every 1/4 cup of dried cranberries. These antioxidant powerhouses are perfectly paired with roasted pumpkin seeds, salty pecans, and dried coconut. (Can we talk about all of these antioxidants?!) I love the red, green, and rich browns of this bark. It just reminds me of fall and winter, and it would make a lovely gift!

I used both salted, roasted pumpkin seeds and pecans for this bark because I love the sweet-and-salty combo. When paired with the tart cranberries and pleasantly-bitter cocao nibs, this is a sweet treat that isn’t too sweet, which I appreciate. The balanced bark would be equally delicious at anytime of the day.

Even more delicious when eaten while watching reality TV, some may say.

Thank you to Ocean Spray® Craisins® Dried Cranberries for sponsoring this Cranberry, Pepita, and Cocao Nib Chocolate Bark post! Be sure to check out their website for more recipes, tips, and healthy inspiration! I’m loving all of their fall goodies on there right now. What are your favorite chocolate bark toppings? Tell me in the comments below!

Here are some things you may need or want for this recipe:

Ocean Spray Craisins //  Navitas Organics Cacao Nibs  //  Roasted Salted Pepitas

This post includes affiliate links but are always products I love + use myself!

Cranberry, Pepita and Cocao Nib Chocolate Bark

★★★★★ 5 from 4 reviews

• Author: Tiffany La Forge
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 12 1x
• Category: dessert, sweets

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Description

This Cranberry, Pepita and Cocao Nib Chocolate Bark is a sweet and salty treat that’s perfect for the fall and the holidays.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 12 ounces high-quality dark or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup roasted, salted pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup dried coconut
• 1/3 cup roasted, salted pecans, chopped
• 1/4 cup cocao nibs

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Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet (9×13) with parchment paper. {TIP: Spraying the sheet with cooking spray before placing the parchment will allow the paper to stick and stay put while you spread the chocolate.}
2. Heat 3/4 of the chocolate over a double boiler (a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water). Melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally.
3. Take off heat and stir in the remaining chocolate and mix until smooth. {This is a quick version of tempering, which allows the chocolate to keep its shine and to set evenly.}
4. Spread the chocolate in a thin layer on the baking sheet. Immediately top with the toppings.
5. Refrigerate for 1 hour (or freeze for 5-10 minutes to speed up the process). Break apart the bark when set. Enjoy!

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Notes

This bark will keep at room temperature (in an air-tight container) for up 4 days and in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.