Easter is just around the corner which means pastel-hued candy, stuffed rabbits, and colorful dyed eggs. Rather than stock up on the uber sweet stuff at your local market, why not attempt to make your own Easter candy? Let's take the typical holiday bark. This dessert shows up generally around Thanksgiving and Christmas and combines melted chocolate with dried fruit and nuts. I love "bark" because it's so quick and easy to make, yet looks impressive and wows guests. 

Let's switch gears for a second. Lee Napoli, Boston's queen of chocolate and proprietor of newly opened Chocolee Chocolates has offered up her stellar recipe for chocolate bark. Add a colorful Spring twist to her recipe by sprinkling jelly beans atop the chocolate, or Cadbury's chocolate Eater eggs, or chop up Peep's for a colorful explosion. Serve in a basket with over plastic Easter basket grass. 

Chocolate Bark

2 lbs. top quality solid milk or dark chocolate (we like Callebaut)
desired topping

Roughly chop the chocolate into 1-2 inch chunks, then melt slowly in a metal bowl which has been set over a saucepan with about 2 inches of simmering water in it.

Lift bowl from saucepan and dry the bottom of the bowl carefully (water drips can ruin the look of chocolate).

Anchor the paper against the front of your countertop, then roll the chocolate out to the very edges of the paper using a rolling pin.  The result should be a thin film. 

Repeat procedure until all chocolate is used up.

Keeping it flat, set parchment-covered chocolate aside for 20 minutes to harden (or, place in the refrigerator).  Once it is firm, break the bark into irregular shards for serving.