Halloween Candy Bark

Born in Salem, MA, we’ve always loved Halloween festivities. We remember dressing like gypsies (Kara), clowns (Marni), pilgrims (both), and Mary Kate and Ashley Olson (cliché but comical at the time). We enjoy all traditions that accompany this spooky holiday- the haunted houses, the costumes, and clearly the massive amounts of candy. The best part of Halloween night is the aftermath of trick-or-treating. We remember dumping our pillow sacks full of candy onto the living room floor and sorting the assortment into categories with our brother James. The columns of bright orange Reese’s, blue Almond Joys, and yellow Butterfingers still resonate in our minds. Since now we are too old to trick-or-treat, we decided to make a festive bark out of some favorite Halloween candies in honor of the holiday.

Halloween Candy Bark
1 lb bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 c salted peanuts
3 Heath bars, cut into jagged pieces
1 1/2 c Reese’s Pieces (candy corn or M&M’s would work well too)
3.5 oz white chocolate (we used 1 bar of Lindt)

Line a 9x13 baking sheet or tray with wax paper. Fill a small pot approximately 1/3 full with water and bring to a simmer on medium-low heat. Find a large Pyrex or metal mixing bowl that will fit on top of the pot. Add the bittersweet chocolates to the bowl and stir over the heat until completely melted. Add the peanuts and pour onto the wax surface, spreading out 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle the Heath Bar and Reese’s Pieces onto the melted chocolate. In a smaller pot, melt the white chocolate the same way as the bittersweet. Dip a fork into the melted white chocolate and wave it over the sheet of bark. Have fun creating various zigzags and lines. Chill the bark in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until firm. Break the bark into pieces and share.

This would also be a great activity to do with kids after Halloween with any kind of leftover candy.