Chinatown Chocolate Bark
This take on the perennial favorite is pure nostalgia for me. Growing up, my Grandma and I would go to Chinatown, where I would beg her to buy me Chinese candies and sweets (to varying degrees of success)—here I’ve decided to put all of them on chocolate. The sweet tang of haw flakes, the crunch of sesame and peanut candies (which resemble brittle) and the hit of brightness with candies citrus peel or ginger are united by swirls of 3 kinds of chocolate. While we didn’t have Japanese Pocky Sticks—I’ve added them here for a hit of green. This is the place to use good quality chocolate, such as Lindt.
Serves 4 to 6
INGREDIENTS
Two 4-ounce white chocolate bars
Two 4-ounce milk chocolate bars
Two 4-ounce dark or semi-sweet chocolate bars
2 packages of haw flakes, roughly chopped
1 package of matcha pocky, broken into quarters
One 8-ounce package of peanut candy, roughly chopped
One 8-ounce package of sesame candy, roughly chopped
¼ cup candied citrus peel or ginger, roughly chopped
Green and red sanding sugar or sprinkles (optional)
METHOD
Preheat oven to 175F to 200F.
Arrange chocolate bars directly next to each other on a parchment lined sheet pan with 3 in the top row and 3 on the bottom, ensuring that the same bars are not next to each other.
Place in the oven for about 5-7 minutes until softened but not fully melted.
Remove and immediately use a toothpick or knife tip to swirl the chocolate, to create a marble pattern. Working quickly, sprinkle surface evenly with haw flakes, matcha pocky, peanut candy, sesame candy and candied citrus peel or ginger, pressing gently into the chocolate to adhere.
Set in a cool place to set for a 2 to 4 hours. If you want to speed up the process, place in the fridge to set—approximately 15 minutes. Remove from fridge, break into large shards and serve. Chocolate bark will keep for 1 week, stored at room temperature.
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