Chocolate Bacon Bark Is The Easy, Elevated Snack You Deserve

Opposites may attract when it comes to romantic entanglements but it also seems to be the way we like to pair our foods. The creamy saltiness of peanut butter makes you crave the sweet gooeyness of jelly. Warm, slightly tart apple pie is not the same without cool, velvety, sweet vanilla ice cream on top. That may be just the reason why chocolate bacon bark — the combination of bacon's salty, fatty, crispness with chocolate's velvety richness — is a match made in heaven. And this combination is one you can easily make at home.

Making chocolate bacon bark is a simple process for which you only need those two principal players, chocolate and bacon. You can use chocolate chips, a chocolate bar, baking chocolate or chocolate discs and melt them down in a microwave or over a double boiler. Once the chocolate is melted, mix in chopped bacon pieces, and spread the mixture onto a baking sheet. You can sprinkle some bacon slices on top for a little extra crunch. Pop it into the refrigerator until it sets and, in a couple of hours, you'll have the perfect sweet and salty snack.

One important step in crafting chocolate bacon bark is making sure the bacon is cooked properly. To get the right contrast in texture, you'll want to make sure it is especially crispy. Try twisting the bacon and placing it on a rack to bake it in the oven. Or layer slices in a bowl and cook it in the microwave. You can even make delicious, crispy bacon in a waffle maker.

There may be six degrees of Kevin Bacon but there are many more ways to enjoy chocolate bacon bark. The savory, smoky slabs will play well with any chocolate but it will pair especially well with the slight bitterness of darker varieties (maybe try this unbeatable dark chocolate brand). You don't need to stick just to two ingredients, either. Nuts will add another layer of crunch. Dried fruit, maple bacon or a touch of maple syrup will provide a toasty sweetness, which is especially nice if you're using dark chocolate. Chocolate bacon bark — in theory — can be stored for up to a week in the fridge, in an airtight container, but you probably won't have to worry about that.