White Chocolate Cranberry Bliss Bark
Cranberry Bliss Bars turned into a quick, easy, and delicious candy. Smooth white chocolate brings the crispy crunch while tart cranberries and citrusy-sweet candied oranges bring the chew to this simple candy. Use these to fill out a Christmas dessert tray or keep them on hand to snack on throughout the holiday season!
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Anyone make and share holiday treats? I’ve never been that organized, and the closest I’ve ever come was throwing some leftover desserts into a plain, clear plastic leftovers box and giving it to a few people last year during our meagre pandemic Christmas. Needless to say, this dessert lady is not so great at the dessert sharing. That would require forethought and organization and craftiness.
However, I might change this year. I’ve made so many delicious holiday treats that they’re just begging to be shared! And this bark is the perfect little snack to round out a dessert tray or fill in that awkward empty spot in the Christmas cookie tin.
Why this recipe works
This recipe is so simple, there’s really not much to say. You get the crispy snap from the tempered white chocolate along with the slight chew from the cranberries and candied oranges. Plus that flavor! It really does taste like classic cranberry bliss bars, minus the cookie bar base. Yuuuuuum.
Key ingredients
White chocolate. Use a high quality one that melts easily. I actually used the Trader Joe’s brand for this one and it was perfect! It melts so easily and has a great taste.
Dried cranberries. I used unsweetened so I could get that tartness mixed in with the other (two) ingredients. But you could use sweetened if you’d like.
Candied oranges. I cheated and used store bought simply because I was out of oranges and was thus unable to candy any. But I love making my own! I do suggest coating them in sugar after baking them to add even more yummy texture to this bark. Plus, they keep really well (especially in the freezer), so you can use up any surplus oranges!
How to make cranberry bliss bark
1. Chop the fruit. Get it as finely chopped as you can—at least as small as a pea. Cranberries can be harder to chop, so try doing a small bit at a time and use a very sharp knife.
2. Melt the white chocolate. I like using a double boiler so it doesn’t overheat and seize.
3. Stir in some cranberries. This is optional, but it gives some dimension to the bark and mirrors classic cranberry bliss cookie bars.
4. Spread onto parchment. I started with the same rimmed baking sheet method as my monster cookie bark, but it was harder to maneuver this recipe and I ended up just working with flat parchment.
5. Sprinkle with chopped fruit. It’s up to you how you do this or even how much you use, but try to press it down a bit so it clings to the white chocolate when you break it up.
6. Chill or freeze.
7. Break into pieces. Have fun with this and make it into any size or shape you want!
Enjoy!
Tips and FAQ’s for this recipe
What kind of white chocolate should I use?
Honestly, any kind should work. Even white candy melts would work (but taste a little more sweet and less “white chocolate”). However, it’s best to use a high quality chocolate for two reasons. One, it’s going to taste better. There are only three ingredients in this recipe, and white chocolate is the biggest one, so the flavor is going to be noticeable. Two, you want a chocolate that will melt easily. I’ve had the best luck with Guittard and Trader Joe’s, but any brand you like and know melts easily will work.
Help! My white chocolate seized/separated!
Unfortunately, you will likely need to start over. You can sometimes fix this by adding a splash of heavy cream, but that’s also liable to cause your white chocolate to separate. To prevent seizing or separating, be sure your stove is turned to low and that you stir constantly.
Cranberry Bliss Bark
- prep time: 5-10 minutes
- chill time: 1 hour
- total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
servings: 16-24
Ingredients:
- 12 ounces (340g) high quality white chocolate
- ⅓ cup (g) dried cranberries, finely chopped
- 1-2 candied orange slices (homemade or store bought), finely chopped
Instructions:
- Set out a piece of parchment paper that’s about 12x18. Mark out an 8x10 section on it in pen or marker then flip it over so you can see the markings through the paper (but they’re not on top where they can bleed into the chocolate).
- Add the white chocolate to a medium heatproof bowl. Fill a medium saucepan (large and deep enough for the bowl to sit over it) with 1-2” water. Be sure the bowl can’t touch the water. Bring the water to a boil then turn down to low. Place the bowl with the white chocolate over it. Stir frequently, until the white chocolate is about 75% melted.
- Once the white chocolate is about 75% melted, remove from heat and stir vigorously until fully melted and smooth. If needed, return to heat for about 30 seconds to melt it a little more.
- Once the white chocolate is fully melted and smooth, quickly stir in a few tablespoons of the chopped cranberries then spread the mixture evenly on your prepared parchment, filling in the marked out area so the chocolate is even. Note: I used unsweetened cranberries, but sweetened are fine, too!
- Sprinkle the remaining cranberries and chopped candied oranges evenly over the bark. Gently press them in with your palm to ensure they won’t fall off once it’s set.
- Refrigerate the bark for at least 1 hour, or until set. You can also freeze it for about 30 minutes, but keep an eye on it to ensure it doesn’t freeze too much.
- Once set, break the bark into pieces. I suggest doing this on the parchment (it should pull away easily once set) so you can catch any tiny pieces that break away and save them for ice cream toppers. :)
Enjoy!
Store bark in an airtight container. If your home is on the warm side, it may be wise to keep it refrigerated, as it may turn soft and lose that bark “crisp” in warm or humid climates.
