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meal prep recipes for busy people

Mexican Chocolate Bark with Sea Salt and Pepitas

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This Mexican chocolate bark is spiced with cinnamon and cayenne and sprinkled with sea salt and pepitas. Only 6 ingredients and 10 minutes to make!

Mexican Chocolate Bark with Sea Salt and Pepitas

Remember how I mentioned that balancing being back at work, a toddler, and a food blog, my life has become verrry busy, and that I was going to be focusing my efforts on super duper easy Christmas recipes this year?

Well. If you want easy, I have easy for you. I mean, this Mexican chocolate bark barely counts as a recipe. It is so basic, it almost doesn’t deserve its own post.

Because spoiler: chocolate bark is…um…melted chocolate. That is re-solidified.

But wait! Hopefully I can convince you that this ‘non-recipe’ is a bit more exciting that your basic ‘bark’!

Mexican Chocolate Bark with Sea Salt and Pepitas

First, rather than using straight up dark chocolate, which I find to be a little too bitter for my taste, I combined a mixture of dark chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate.

Then there’s cinnamon and cayenne. Yes, cayenne! Spicy chocolate is a weirdly addictive treat, trust me. And between the cinnamon and the cayenne, there is a distinctive ‘Mexican’ kind of flavor about this chocolate.

And then there’s the sea salt. First spicy chocolate and now salty chocolate. I can hear you all rapidly closing your browser windows…wait!!!!! The sea salt brings out all of the deep dark chocolate flavors. It totally enhances everything.

And finally, I sprinkled the Mexican chocolate bark with pepitas. As you can see, I wasn’t exactly restrained. I went for it! The pepitas mostly contribute a crunch factor, as I don’t find them to have a very strong flavor. They also bring color…I love the contrast between the deep rich dark chocolate and the bright green pepitas!

Mexican Chocolate Bark with Sea Salt and Pepitas

 

Mexican Chocolate Bark with Sea Salt and Pepitas

So all you need to do, you busy people, is to melt some chocolate. I have tried for a long time to master this in a microwave, and after numerous batches of seized chocolate, I’ve officially waved the white flag and moved on to the double boiler. Much, much MUCH easier.

I chopped my chocolate coarsely, and melted it down in the double boiler. Then I stirred in the ground cinnamon and cayenne. While it was melting, I taped my parchment paper into my 9X13 inch pan, but truth be told, you could also use a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Once everything is all smooth and melty and combined, spread it all over the parchment. Mine was clearly not of even thickness, and that’s the beauty of this ‘non-recipe’…it doesn’t have to be exact! Just spread it, sprinkle it with the sea salt and pepitas, pour yourself a glass of wine and go watch some TV. You deserve it!

This Mexican chocolate bark makes a delicious snack, and would also make a wonderful gift! Just don’t tell anyone that it only took you 15 minutes to make…that will be our little secret 😉

More easy holiday treats:

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5 from 3 votes

Mexican Chocolate Bark with Sea Salt and Pepitas

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 4
Dark chocolate is spiced with cinnamon and cayenne and sprinkled with sea salt and pepitas. This would make a very special holiday gift {and no-one needs to know how easy it was!}
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time5 mins
Total Time10 mins

Ingredients

  • 6 oz dark chocolate
  • 3 oz semi-sweet chocolate
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tbsp pepitas {unsalted}

Instructions

  • Prepare a 9x13 baking pan by lining with parchment paper. I taped mine in, however a parchment-lined baking sheet will also work.
  • Coarsely chop the chocolate.
  • Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, stirring frequently until completely smooth. Stir in the cinnamon and cayenne until completely incorporated.
  • Spread chocolate out on parchment paper, using a spatula. Mine did not quite fit the 9x13 inch pan, but it was close.
  • Sprinkle with sea salt and pepitas.
  • Allow to harden for 1-2 hours {cooling in the fridge is the best option}.
  • Cut into pieces and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Products used in this recipe:

Mexican Chocolate Bark with Sea Salt and Pepitas

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Comments

  1. Willow

    I love the taste, but the texture is really weird. Maybe it was the type of chocolate I used? I used Oaxacan Mexican Dark Chocolate with cinnamon and chili. Maybe I didn’t melt it long enough, but it felt smooth in the double broiler, then turned out really granulate. It also was quite thinner than than the picture, and the seeds did not adhere. So, may try it again, but there are so many easy bark recipes, may just call it a wash. Thanks for the idea though!

    Reply

  7. Isadora

    This totally deserves its own post!! I love chocolate bark and how easy it is to make, but also so fancy and delicious! You had me at sea salt and chocolate! I bet this tastes amazing 🙂

    Reply

  8. geraldine | Green Valley Kitchen

    Love easy recipes and an easy recipe that you can give as a holiday gift is an added bonus. I totally agree about the double boiler for melting chocolate – fast, easy to do and easy to melt the chocolate to the right consistency. Love all the spices you’ve mixed in too!

    Reply

  9. Helen @ Scrummy Lane

    Chocolate bark is my go-to quick and easy and yet impressive homemade gift. I find that it is always raved about and very gratefully received! This bark of yours somehow has an air of luxury about it, Denise. I look that you’ve added that hint of spices and healthy pepitas. 🙂

    Reply

  11. Laura

    I know it’s terrible, but I’ve never made bark before, just bought it at the store. And homemade is really best, love the idea of giving this as a gift. And the color contrast between the dark chocolate and the green is popping nice. And it’s easy, who doesn’t need that right now =)

    Reply

  12. Natalie @ Tastes Lovely


    This is totally a recipe! Especially for a non baker like me, haha! I love the flavors in this. I had a chocolate pudding that had cayenne in it, and it was so tasty. The spice complimented the chocolate really well. I know I’m going to love this bark : )

    Reply

    • Denise

      Good idea, Kathy! I keep telling my work colleagues I will bring some of this in…but I’d probably hoard it in my desk drawer 😉 The busy-ness (business?) is a bit overwhelming at times, but I’m glad to have my blog to give me some ‘me time’ and a fun creative outlet!

      Reply

    • Denise

      I almost replied ‘easy is my middle name’, but then I thought twice about it 😉 But really, I don’t have time for complicated these days! Thanks, Ashley!

      Reply

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