Homemade Hazelnut and Dark Chocolate Bark Thins

Make snack time more decadent with this Homemade Hazelnut and Dark Chocolate Bark Thins recipe. Combine perfectly toasted hazelnuts and shredded coconut with the highest quality dark chocolate and you have yourself a delightful treat to enjoy anytime. It provides a not-too-sweet energizing boost of antioxidants as well as some healthy fats to fuel your day. Plus it's way cheaper than the store-bought version!

Hazelnut and Dark Chocolate Bark Thins

When I say these dark chocolate bark thins have been my OBSESSION for the past couple of days, I tell no lies.

They are so good, and the best bit is you only need a handful of simple ingredients and about 15 minutes to make them!

Snacking heaven here you come.

This is a super simple treat to put together, and one that kids can get involved in too. Mine loved smashing the hazelnuts in a ziplock bag and then sprinkling them all over the melted chocolate, sneaking the few chocolate-covered shards that got away.

It tastes delicious and is great when broken into random shapes and popped into a cute little bag for friends and neighbors.

Ingredients

As I said above, minimal ingredients are needed for this recipe, and they can all be found in your regular supermarket.

You will need:

• A good high-quality dark chocolate: I tend to go for 70% cocoa Lindt chocolate when it's on special, however, any chocolate that you like should work just fine. Just remember, the higher the cocoa percentage, the less sweet the chocolate, so choose what works well for your tastebuds.
• unsweetened coconut flakes: check the ingredients on this as they sometimes have some sneaky additions you wouldn't know about. It should be just coconut, and perhaps a little bit of salt.
• roasted unsalted hazelnuts: I usually buy mine in bullk from Costco, but you can grab them from any regular nut section as well.
• Pink Himalayan salt: this can be found in the salt section of most well-stocked grocery stores. It helps to make the perfect balance of sweet and salty, but can totally be left out if you would prefer.

Why These Are Better Than Store-bought

I love the bags of bark thins from the store, but with a family of 5, that bag gets empty very quickly!

There are a couple of reasons you should be making your own bark thins rather than buying:

• Cheaper: this homemade bark thins recipe is so much cheaper than any version you can buy at the store.
• Better ingredients: having control of the ingredients makes these bark thins so much better than the version you will find at the store. Rich dark chocolate with a high cocoa percentage, unsalted hazelnuts without the addition of any cheap oils, and coconut flakes that aren't loaded with sugar. Add a sprinkle of high-quality Himalayan pink salt, and there is just no comparison.
• Versatile: these are so versatile, and can be glammed up with other fun ingredients such as a splash of instant coffee, peppermint almond or orange extract, any other nut of choice, chopped pretzels etc

Tips and Tricks

This really is such an easy recipe, but just to be sure you get the best version, here are some tips and tricks:

• Stir regularly: you cannot set the chocolate over the heat and walk away. Stay close and be sure to stir it regularly to ensure it melts evenly.
• Do not overheat the chocolate: It can burn very quickly, so it is best to take it slow and remove the chocolate from the heat before it is completely melted. If you have to pop it back on to melt the last few bits that is totally fine. If it does overheat you will have chocolate that is stiff and thick, and the bark thins won't taste as nice.
• Store: keep the finished bark thins in the fridge or freezer. They can be left in an airtight container at room temperature if needed, but not in a hot climate, or if you tend to have the heat on, as they will likely melt.

Need more chocolate recipes? Try one of these next:

• Secretly Healthy Chocolate Raspberry Truffles
• Healthier Salted Caramel Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nuts
• Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

Happy Eating

xx

Recipe