Halloween Chocolate Bark with Pumpkin Seeds & Candy Eyes

Instructions

1. 1

   Line two large baking trays with baking parchment and set to one side. This makes the bark easy to remove when set.

2. 2

   Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium hob for 3–4 minutes, shaking the pan often, until they are fragrant and start to colour. Tip them into a bowl to stop them cooking further.

3. 3

   Melt the dark chocolate with half the coconut oil in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water (bain-marie). Stir gently until smooth and glossy, then remove the bowl from the pan.

4. 4

   Stir the gluten-free puffed rice and dried cranberries into the melted dark chocolate until everything is evenly coated. Fold in half the toasted pumpkin seeds so they’re distributed through the mix.

5. 5

   Spoon the mixture onto the prepared trays and spread to an even layer about 4–6 mm thick using a spatula. Scatter the remaining pumpkin seeds, edible candy eyes and Halloween sprinkles over the top, pressing gently so they stick.

6. 6

   Melt the white chocolate with the remaining coconut oil in a small heatproof bowl over the simmering pan (or in short 10-second bursts in a microwave). Drizzle the white chocolate over the bark using a spoon or a small piping bag.

7. 7

   Sprinkle a few sea salt flakes across each tray, then chill the trays in the fridge until completely firm, about 30 minutes.

8. 8

   Remove the set bark from the trays, peel off the parchment and break into roughly 40 bite-sized pieces. Pack into small bags or cellophane wrappers for handing out to trick-or-treaters.

Tips

• Choose good-quality dark chocolate (around 60–70%) for the best flavour; cheaper chocolate can be grainy when melted.
• If the white chocolate seizes or thickens, add a small extra bit of coconut oil, not water — that will restore a drizzleable texture.
• Toast pumpkin seeds first and keep half to sprinkle on top so you get pops of texture both inside and on the surface.
• Make the bark on thin trays so pieces break into bite-size portions easily — 4–6 mm thickness works well.
• Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 7 days; separate layers with baking parchment so they don’t stick.

Substitutions

• dark chocolate → milk chocolate, same quantity

  Noticeably different

• pumpkin seeds → sunflower seeds, same quantity

  Stays close

• dried cranberries → chopped dried apricots, same quantity

  Noticeably different

• gluten-free puffed rice → gluten-free crushed biscuits (about 100 g), slightly reduce quantity

  Noticeably different

Nutrition

Per serving · estimated

163

Calories

3 g

Protein

17 g

Carbs

10 g

Fat

2 g

Fibre

10 g

Sugar

50 mg

Sodium

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