Valentines Chocolate Bark

I love Valentines Day.  When I was younger my parents would give my sister and I a little box or a small decorative tin filled with little candies, sometimes jewelry and other lovable things!  It is just such a special memory.  I love that I get to do the same for my kids now.    

Another reason I love Valentines day is that it is all about the sweets!  I wanted to come up with some fun and easy gift ideas for teachers and friends.  This chocolate bark is so fun!  You can use milk or dark chocolate, or white on bottom and drizzle with milk or dark on top.  I chose to do milk chocolate on the bottom and drizzle with the white chocolate, so yummy!

I found some adorable heart candies and sprinkles at my local craft store and had some white and red sparkly sugar left over from Christmas!  Kids love to help with the sprinkles!

1 bag milk chocolate chips (11.5oz)

1/4 bag of white chocolate chips (11.5oz)

1/2 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon of shortening

valentines themed candies

wax paper

Ziploc bag 

Cover a half sheet pan with wax paper.

In a microwave safe bowl combine the milk chocolate and the 1/2 tablespoon of shortening.  Heat in 10 second intervals stirring in between until the shortening melts into the chocolate and the chips completely melt.

Pour the chocolate onto the wax paper and spread out with a rubber spatula.  I spread mine fairly thin, but you can leave it a bit thicker if you wish.  Doesn't have to be perfect, that's the great thing about this candy!

Sprinkle on your candies!

In another microwave safe bowl combine the white chocolate and 1/2 teaspoon of shortening.  Again heat in 10 second intervals.  This will only take about 30-40 seconds depending on the microwave.

Place the white chocolate in a small plastic Ziploc bag.  Cut a small slit in the bottom corner of the bag. Drizzle on the white chocolate!  Add any more small candies you would like!  I added the sparkly sugar at this point.  

Allow this to sit overnight.  

The chocolate will not be as hard as it was when in chip form.  We added the shortening so it will be hardened but now with a much creamier texture.You can break the chocolate into large or small pieces, whatever you choose.  I use my hands because I like the rough look of it.  If you want a cleaner edge you can use a large knife.

Enjoy!