Mocha Bark

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This twist on classic candy bark will hit the sweet spot.

By
Alana Al-Hatlani
Alana Al-Hatlani
Alana Al-Hatlani
Alana Al-Hatlani is an Assistant Food Editor at Southern Living.
Southern Living's editorial guidelines
Published on December 15, 2023
Recipe tested by
Southern Living Test Kitchen
Southern Living Test Kitchen
Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen

The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama.

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Southern Living Mocha Bark broken into pieces to serve
Photo:

Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Active Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 10 mins
Servings:
10

This is not your typical chocolate bark for the holidays. It doesn’t have any red or green color accents like the classic Peppermint Bark, but with a flavor similar to a white chocolate mocha, it feels cozy and festive all the same.

The sweet milkiness of the white chocolate is perfectly offset by a rich, dark mocha swirl. The impressive design couldn't be easier to do either; just don’t go overboard when mixing the two chocolates together, or the swirl pattern can become muddled.

The crunch of roughly chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans is what truly makes this bark special. If you’re unsure of where to source the beans, check the candy or snack aisle—they’re also sometimes stocked in the bulk bin section. If your local store doesn’t have them, you can also order the beans online.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips (about 10 oz.)

  • 1/2 cup 60%-70% cacao dark chocolate chips (about 2 oz.)

  • 2 tsp. instant espresso granules

  • 1/4 cup chopped chocolate covered espresso beans

  • Flaky sea salt (optional)

Directions

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

  2. Fill a medium saucepan with water to a depth of 1 to 2 inches. Bring to a simmer over medium. Carefully place a slightly smaller heatproof bowl on top of saucepan (bowl should nestle comfortably in pan without touching water). Place white chocolate in bowl; cook, stirring often, until melted, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove bowl from heat. (Alternatively, microwave chocolate in a microwavable bowl on HIGH for 1 minute. Stir. Continue microwaving in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until fully melted, about 1 minute, 30 seconds.) Repeat process with dark chocolate in a separate bowl.

  3. Pour melted white chocolate onto prepared baking sheet; using an offset spatula, spread white chocolate into an 1/8-in.-thick rectangle.

  4. Stir instant espresso granules into melted dark chocolate. Drizzle dark chocolate mixture evenly over white chocolate. Using a butter knife or tip of the offset spatula, swirl dark chocolate into white chocolate. Sprinkle with chocolate-covered espresso beans, and, if desired, garnish with flaky salt.

  5. Chill bark, uncovered, in refrigerator until set, about 1 hour. Break into pieces. Store bark in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week.

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