This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CrispyIsBack #CollectiveBias
If you're looking for a sweet, salty treat look no further than this Crispy Honey Chocolate Bark! It's fun, decadent candy that everyone will love!
While March snow can easily lull the soul, the agenda for the month is a busy one at Living the Gourmet, both behind the scenes and on the site. The start of a long list of birthdays keeps us busy with the family, while the start of spring and the opening of a new holiday season demands new menu planning for the site.
Before kicking off spring, however, I simply had to do one more winter friendly recipe, or least something that was cross-seasonal just to see off this final layer of snow and ice. However, it also had to be useable as a party snack or as a dessert compliment, given an upcoming birthday later this week. After tossing around a few ideas, we decided on a chocolate bark.
Once we had planned out the list of ingredients, it was off for a quick supply run to Walmart. While perusing the candy shelves, I noticed a new style of M&M's®, the M&M's® Crispy – a crunchy variety of the regular M&M's®. Aside from the standard nine-ounce bags, there were also individual snack size bags at only 180 calories per serving. These would go great in the bark, and would be perfect for the upcoming birthdays.
Making a bark can be a balancing act, you need a bit of crunch, a bit of ‘soft,’ and just the right balance of saltiness, rustic tones, and sweetness. To achieve this balance, I came up with a mix of dried cranberries and golden raisins for the soft; almonds and coffee beans for the rustic notes; and pepitas and pretzels for the salt. M&M's® and milk chocolate would provide a resounding emphasis for the sweet portion of the equation, while the M&M's® Crispy would serve as another layer of crunch, while also adding sweetness.
With the addition of white chocolate, honey, and a baked cracker bed, the bark is complete, a sweet and savory treat that can sooth away the winter chills, or just as easily make you the star of your next party.
Since #CrispyIsBack I ended up with a delicious bark, and it was just what I needed in this frigid weather. With Spring just a snowfall away, what’s on your March agenda? How will you be kicking off Spring?
See more great M&M's® Crispy recipe and party ideas on the M&M's® Crispy social hub.
Crispy Honey Chocolate Bark
Ingredients
- 2 cups coarsely crushed saltine crackers
- 1 cup coarsely crushed pretzels
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, cubed
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups melting chocolate
- 1 cup white chocolate
Toppings:
- 1/4 cup golden raisins, chopped
- 1/4 cup dried prunes, chopped
- 1/4 cup craisins, chopped
- 1/4 cup pecans, chopped
- 1/4 cup almonds, chopped
- 1/4 cup pepitas
- 1/4 cup coffee beans, chopped
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1/2 cup M&M's® Crispy Snacks, coarsely chopped and whole
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Lay coarsely chopped crackers and pretzels out on a parchment lined baking sheet, and bake until golden, about 10 minutes.
- In a small saucepan, cook down sugar just until lightly golden. Add butter and honey. Stir until a the mixture turns to thick, golden consistency. Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and remove the saucepan from the heat and stir vigorously. The mixture will now start to foam.
- **NOTE: if there are clumps of sugar in your mixture, do not be alarmed - it will be like toffee and only add to the bark!
- Pour the candy syrup over the crackers and pretzels. Allow the mixture to cool completely.
- Melt your chocolate and pour directly onto the cooled crackers. With a rubber spatula, evenly spread the chocolate out until it completely covers the crackers.
- Immediately add your desired toppings.
- Melt white chocolate and drizzle over the bark. Place in the refrigerator for several hours until the chocolate has set and hardened.
- Once the bark has set, break bark into pieces. Serve and enjoy!
Enjoy with Love,
Catherine
xo
Comedy Plus says
That also looks like a lot of work, but wow the end result looks amazingly yummy.
Have a fabulous day honey. Big hugs. ♥♥♥
Solya says
OMG, that looks fantastic! I just can imagine how sweet and delicious it is:)
peter @feedyoursoultoo says
You had me at M&M's. What a fun idea.
Laura says
Oh my goodness, I think that might put me in a coma, but I bet it would be worth it. xo Laura
Kellie says
Catherine, these look amazing. I love that they have fruit in them too. I can pretend they will be healthy for me.
Pam says
Woo hoo, Catherine! That's great and I wish I had a taste now! Bet they were a big hit and a perfect treat. Have a great week! Hugs
sandie says
Catherine I have to say that looks so delicious! Yummy!
[email protected] says
Wow this chocolate bark looks fantastic. Love the M&M’s® Crispies in it!
Wanda says
Oh dear, my mouth is watering as I love salt and sugar and all the wonderful textures. Happy March, dear friend. Hope you are having a wonderful day.
Heather {Brie Brie Blooms} says
Beautiful photos! This treat looks delicious! #client
gloria says
Catherine these look amazing!
Love your picture too! Beauty!
xo
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
So colourful and amazingly delicious with all the quality ingredients!
Dottie Sauchelli-Balin says
Dear Catherine,
Oh my goodness, I wish I didn't give up chocolate for Lent....I will have to save this one for after Easter...there will be always a day to make this one. So many wonderful ingredients that creates this bark. Chewy, sweet, everything all wrapped into one. I love your photo of you buying the M&M 's, you look so sweet. Another fantastic recipe from "Living The Gourmet" BTW I enjoyed "The Weekender" What a wonderful idea...Thank you for sharing this decadent goodie! Have a blessed week, more snow on the way...keep warm and safe, a lot of black ice out there!
Dottie 🙂
Michelle @ The Complete Savorist says
This is a kitchen sink bark with the best candy ever in it! YUM
Medeja says
Looks fantastic! And loaded with so many good things!
tanna says
Oh. my. word!! These looks so darn good!!! I'd be in big trouble with these. LOL! blessings ~ tanna
Stephanie @ Year-Round Giving says
This looks killer! Not only would my kids go NUTS over this but so would I!
Renee's Kitchen Adventures says
This looks absolutely delicious! Great recipe to use with the Crispy M&Ms!!!
Big Daddy Dave says
Catherine, My better half loves bark! We've never made it at home so thanks for the recipe... Your finished product looks absolutely terrific! Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
Ginny Hartzler says
I am glad to see YOU today, with your pretty smile. Kids would LOVE this. All the colors would just scream to them "Eat ME"! And since there is coffee and prunes in it, it would be very helpful to seniors too!!
Annalisa B says
Buonissima preparazione!!! Brava!
Un abbraccio
Vicki Bensinger says
OMG I'm drooling just looking at this bark. How creative with the saltine crackers. YUM with all these addictive ingredients would could resist!
Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect says
Yum! M&Ms are my favorite, and this looks amazing!! Thanks for sharing it at Works for Me Wednesday!
Renee's Kitchen Adventures says
This bark looks downright amazing and totally addictive!!!
April J Harris says
Oh my goodness, Catherine, your M&Ms Crispy Honey Bark looks absolutely addictive! Thank you for sharing it with us at the Hearth and Soul hop. Pinned and will tweet 🙂
All that's Jas says
Those look amazing! Thanks for sharing at Thursday Favorite Things!
Valerie says
Looks so good!
Amy @ Ms. Toody Goo Shoes says
This is the prettiest bark! Thanks for linking up at Best of the Weekend!
Stephanie Manning says
These look so yummy! I didn't know they were bringing the Crispy M&M's back! I know several people who will be happy as those were their favorites! Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty linky!
AnnMarie says
Putting this on my list of barks to make. Just crazy about making and eating them! Pinned on my board Loving the Bark!
Mandi says
I used to love eating bark as a kid (okay, so I still do!) but this is like the grown-up version....it sounds amazing and I'm making plans to make it already! =)
Laura@ Baking in Pyjamas says
Seeing all those ingredients together is making my mouth water, I can imagine it's got the perfect balance of salty and sweet. Thanks for linking up to Sweet and Savoury Sunday, stop by and link up again. Have a great day!!