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You know Crunch candy bars with the puffed rice?
That’s exactly what this quinoa crunch chocolate bark is like. Chocolate with a good crunch mixed in…and some dried cherries because why not? It’s Valentine’s day!!!!
But seriously, I had no idea that if you toast some raw quinoa in a pan for a few minutes that it will become super crunchy. Food. Is. Magic.
Plus, it’s a lot of fun! The quinoa starts popping a little.
Here’s how you make quinoa crunch chocolate bark. It’s so easy!
- Toast the raw quinoa in a dry skillet for just a few minutes. It goes POP a few times. So cool!
- melt dark chocolate with coconut oil – coconut oil to add shine and keep the chocolate a little softer and easier to eat
- stir the toasted quinoa and chopped cherries into the melted chocolate
- pour the chocolate onto a pan lined with parchment paper or a silpat mat and spread into an even layer
- freeze just until the chocolate bark is set
- break the quinoa crunch chocolate bark into random pieces
- enjoy your tasty, crunchy treat!
Also would make a great edible gift.
Valentine’s day is coming up…next Thursday.
Hint. Hint!
Of course you could also make this quinoa crunch chocolate bark for your friends, mom, brother, sister, co-workers, or just for yourself. All that matters is that it is made with love and eaten with joy.
It may sound cheezy, but it’s true. Chocolate is so much better when you slow down to truly savor it.
You will love this quinoa crunch chocolate bark so much. I seriously cannot wait for you to make some!
The toasted quinoa adds a nice nutty taste with all that crunch and the dried cherries add a nice fruity chewiness all with that bitter dark chocolate. PERFECTION.
The end!
No but seriously, Paul is obsessed with this quinoa crunch chocolate bark and that’s saying a lot because he doesn’t have a huge sweet tooth. He even requested that I made some for his birthday coming up (4 days after Valentine’s day).
This is 100% fine with me because it literally takes 10 minutes to make plus (plus time to freeze)! Also it’s not one big cake we have to eat before it dries out on us. It can hang out in the fridge and we can eat a little at a time.
The other great part about this quinoa crunch chocolate bark is that it’s naturally gluten free, and can easily be made dairy free/vegan simply by using vegan chocolate.
It’s customizable. You can use any kind of dried fruit you like. I think dried blueberries, strawberries, or apricots would be really good.
Someone please make one of these versions and let me know which one I should make next! K thanks!
Quinoa crunch chocolate bark with cherries. Making all the people happy on Valentine’s day!
Quinoa Crunch Chocolate Bark with Cherries
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Yield: 8 to 10 1x
- Category: Dessert, easy, superfood
- Cuisine: gluten free, vegan, dairy free, vegetarian
Description
Quinoa crunch chocolate bark has toasted quinoa for a nice crunch and dried cherries for a fruity flavor. It’s so easy to make and is the perfect edible gift.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup raw Quinoa (I used red, but any color will work)
- 8 ounces dark chocolate, broken up (60 to 70% cocoa)
- 1/3 cup Dried cherries, chopped
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Toast quinoa: Heat a small skillet over medium low heat. Add the quinoa and toast it for 3 minutes, or until some of it starts to pop and it becomes fragrant. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.
- Prepare: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat (I find a silpat mat works best here but parchment paper will work too). Also, chop the dried cherries at this time.
- Melt the chocolate: Place the chocolate and the coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 second increments, stirring each time, until the chocolate is melted. OR you cold melt the chocolate over a double boiler.
- Stir in the goodies: Add most of the toasted quinoa to the melted chocolate along with most of the cherries. Stir to combine.
- Spread out the chocolate bark: Pour the chocolate onto the lined baking sheet, use a spatula or spoon to spread the chocolate out evenly. Top with the remaining cherries and quinoa.
- Freeze: Freeze the chocolate for 20 to 30 minutes, or until set.
- Finish: gently peal the chocolate away from the parchment paper/silpat mat. Use your hands to break it up into random pieces and sizes. Enjoy immediately or store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Notes
Allow for 20 to 30 minutes of inactive time for the chocolate to set up in the freezer (not included in the hands on prep time)
Dairy free/vegan: Use dairy free/vegan chocolate to keep this bark vegan.
Switch up the flavors: You could swap the dried cherries for any kind of dried fruit you love. I think dried blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, or even apricots would be great.
Edible gift: This quinoa crunch chocolate bark would make a great edible gift any time of the year. Hello Valentine! 🙂
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