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Stack of Dark Chocolate Bark
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5 from 12 votes

How To Make Dark Chocolate

I topped this batch with pistachios, pecans, and rose petals – making it an ideal treat for Valentine’s Day 💕  Feel free to vary the toppings.
Course: dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: healthy dessert, refined sugar-free
Servings: 20 pieces
Calories: 41kcal

Equipment

  • double boiler
  • baking sheet
  • parchment paper

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces cocoa butter wafers, such as Mountain Rose Herbs brand or Navitas brand
  • 2 ounces raw cacao powder
  • 1 pinch Himalayan sea salt
  • 3 pitted Medjool dates, minced
  • 1 Tablespoon real maple syrup, preferably grade B

For toppings

  • 1/3 cup raw nuts/seeds (such as pistachios, pecans, walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds), chop larger nuts in half or thirds.
  • 1/4 cup dried rose petals, such as Mountain Rose Herbs brand, optional

Instructions

To make the dark chocolate

  • Melt the cocoa wafers slowly in a double boiler (uncovered), stirring often with a soft spatula. Remove from heat when almost all of the wafers are melted (they will continue to melt off-heat).
  • Stir in the cacao powder. Add the sea salt, dates, and maple syrup. Continue to stir and break up the minced dates with the spatula; they will partially melt into the chocolate. Stir until the mixture has cooled down to about 80ºF.
  • Slowly pour the chocolate mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Using a soft spatula, help it form into a rectangle that's approximately 12-inches by 10-inches.
  • Evenly sprinkle with the toppings, then refrigerate.
  • Don't attempt to cut the bark until it is well hardened.
    Slide the parchment with chocolate bark onto a cutting board. Using a chef's knife, cut it into 20 pieces that are each about 2-inches by 3-inches.
    Keep the bark refrigerated in an air tight storage container.

Notes

  • Do not get any water or moisture into the cocoa butter or chocolate mixture. Even a drop of water may negatively effect the consistency and make it gritty.
    • Be sure your pan is completely dry before you add the cocoa butter wafers.
    • Use a dry spatula.
    • Don't boil the water so hard in your double boiler that steam escapes; the moisture could get into the cocoa butter.
  • FYI chocolate doesn't like to be temperature shocked. So for instance, don't put hot chocolate in a cold water bath or in the freezer.
  • I estimate that this chocolate is about 75% cacao. I find that it is flavorful, but not very sweet. It also isn't bitter. If you prefer a sweeter chocolate, add an extra Tablespoon of maple syrup.
  • You can substitute raw honey for the maple syrup if you prefer.

Nutrition

Calories: 41kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 103mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 14IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg