Dark Chocolate, Peanut Butter, & Tahini Bark

I haven’t been quite this obsessed with something in quite some time.

And of all things it’s a *bark* recipe, which I am historically just “meh” on. But this delicious blend of rich, bittersweet chocolate and punchy peanut butter chips, lifted up slightly by nutty tahini and a crunch of sea salt, is like amazing not-actually-that-bad-for-you crack.

The most critical thing in making this amazing is to use a high-quality dark chocolate. Since the chocolate is the base and the entire carrier of this recipe, using a cheaper and lower quality kind will definitely result in a mediocre product. That doesn’t mean you need something insanely expensive, just more along the lines of Ghiradelli vs. Hershey’s. Trust me, it’s worth it!

I love this so much that I’d love to find a way to make it just as yummy, but using a healthier alternative to peanut butter chips. The actual chemistry of how bark sets isn’t really my area of expertise, so I’m going to do some fiddling and researching to see if this is feasible…as much as I love peanut butter chips, they’re not super great for me and this would be quite a really nice healthy indulgence.

Microwave the dark chocolate (in small-ish pieces) in a small bowl until melted. This will probably take about 90 seconds total, but stop and stir it every 30 seconds…you don’t want to burn or scald it!

In a second small bowl, repeat the process of melting and stirring with the peanut butter chips and tahini (together).

Add a tiny sprinkle of cinnamon and cayenne, to taste…I like just the barest hint. The point is to just add a bit of depth to the chocolate, not to actually *flavor* it.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (that will fit in your freezer) and spread the chocolate over the parchment in an even layer. You do want it a tiny bit thick because this will basically be the thickness of your finished bark.

Spoon the peanut butter mixture over chocolate in globs, then use a knife (or the rubber spatula you were already using) to swirl the peanut butter all through the chocolate.

Sprinkle with some flaky sea salt, then put into the freezer and freeze until firm (an hour should do it).

Use a big knife to break it into pieces.

You can store it in an airtight container or ziploc bag, and you will want to keep it in the fridge or at least a cool place. I’d tell you it will last for several days, but it would be INSANE for you not to have devoured it by then…

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Dark Chocolate, Peanut Butter, & Tahini Bark

Note, you can leave out the cinnamon and cayenne, but it really does add a lovely depth vs. actual flavor. Also, this is naturally gluten-free.

1 cup of chopped quality dark chocolate (I use Ghiradelli dark chocolate melting wafers)
1/4 cup of peanut butter chips
1 tablespoon of tahini
A small amount (literally a tiny sprinkle!) of ground cinnamon and cayenne pepper, to taste
Flaky sea salt

Microwave the dark chocolate (in small-ish pieces) in a small bowl until melted. This will probably take about 90 seconds total, but stop and stir it every 30 seconds…you don’t want to burn or scald it! Add a tiny sprinkle of cinnamon and cayenne, to taste (I like just the barest hint).
In a second small bowl, repeat the process of melting and stirring with the peanut butter chips and tahini (together).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (that will fit in your freezer) and spread the chocolate over the parchment in an even layer. You do want it a tiny bit thick because this will basically be the thickness of your finished bark.
Spoon the peanut butter mixture over chocolate in globs, then use a knife (or the rubber spatula you were already using) to swirl the peanut butter all through the chocolate.
Sprinkle with some flaky sea salt, then put into the freezer and freeze until firm (an hour should do it). Use a big knife to break it into pieces. Store in an airtight container or ziploc in a cool place.

Adapted from Cooking Light