They call it "Chocolate Crack" for a reason!

chocolate bark: it's pretty simple. you just melt out some chocolate onto a baking sheet, sprinkle whatever you want on it, then let it harden before you break it into bits. you can use nuts, dried fruits, whatever you fancy as a little something extra on top.

if you happened to read the post about brownies, you'll know that i just love to pair salt with chocolate. yes, i know - salt is terrible for you (cue: DASH diet). but lets be real - what on this blog would actually be included in part of your nutritious diet? my theory is, you gotta live a little. everything in moderation and i'll die without regret.

which brings me to today's recipe: chocolate crack. otherwise known as "saltine chocolate toffee bark." the interweb is raging with recipes for this stuff, typically made around christmas time as a holiday bark for gift-giving and family-pleasing. well the end of the year is like a holiday, right? so that's my excuse. plus it was klara's birthday and glee prom night, among other things. i went with a standard bark recipe that i saw all over the place, and used dark chocolate since that's kind of the best chocolate ever. then, in a desire to buy enough stuff at the grocery store to use my food lion coupon, i bought white chocolate too. that got mixed with the extra coconut i have lying in my fridge for a delicious second recipe. they're below - eat your heart out people!

dark chocolate saltine toffee bark 

1 - 1 1/2 sleeves saltine crackers
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup packed brown sugar (i used dark brown sugar, but either would work)
2 cups (12 oz) dark chocolate chips

1. preheat the oven to 350F. 
2. line a rectangle jelly roll pan, or any baking pan with lips/edges, with parchment paper (alternatively, line the pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray). 
3. arrange the saltine crackers in a single layer on the bottom of the pan, packed tightly together. crumble and reserve extra crackers. 
4. cook the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan on med-high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. allow the mixture to come to a rolling boil, and wait for it to turn a golden caramel color. then remove from heat and pour over the saltine crackers. 
5. bake the crackers for 5 minutes, or until the toffee mixture is bubbling. 
6. remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips. after 1 minute, spread the chocolate with an offset spatula. 
7. immediately sprinkle the remaining saltine crumbles, pressing lightly to allow them to stick. refrigerate the pan until set, then break up into pieces. 

white chocolate & coconut saltine toffee bark 

1 - 1 1/2 sleeves saltine crackers
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup packed brown sugar (i used dark brown sugar, but either would work)
1/2 cup coconut flakes
2 cups (12 oz) white chocolate chips

1. preheat the oven to 350F. 
2. line a rectangle jelly roll pan, or any baking pan with lips/edges, with parchment paper (alternatively, line the pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray). 
3. arrange the saltine crackers in a single layer on the bottom of the pan, packed tightly together. crumble and reserve extra crackers.
4. cook the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan on med-high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. allow the mixture to come to a rolling boil, and wait for it to turn a golden caramel color. then remove from heat and pour over the saltine crackers. 
5. bake the crackers for 5 minutes, or until the toffee mixture is bubbling. 
6. in the mean time, toast the coconut flakes in the microwave in intervals of 20 seconds, stirring in between, until slightly browned and crispy. 
7. remove crackers from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips evenly. after 1 minute, spread the chocolate with an offset spatula. 
8. immediately sprinkle the chocolate with the toasted coconut, pressing lightly to allow them to stick. refrigerate the pan until set, then break up into pieces. 

a great gift, for anyone! or even yourself... yeah, definitely for yourself :)