Pistachio Salted Caramel Bark (Printable)

Dark chocolate set with salted caramel and chopped pistachios for a crunchy, sweet finishing touch.

# Components:

→ Chocolate Layer

01 - 10.5 oz good-quality dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa), chopped

→ Caramel Layer

02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
04 - 1/4 cup heavy cream
05 - 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

→ Topping

06 - 2/3 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
07 - 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)

# Directions:

01 - Line a 9 x 13 inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Melt the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Pour onto the prepared sheet and spread evenly to about 1/4 inch thickness. Refrigerate for 10 minutes to set.
03 - Heat sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, swirling but not stirring until melted and amber in color. Add butter and whisk until melted. Slowly pour in cream and salt, whisking constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and cool for 2 minutes.
04 - Pour caramel evenly over the chilled chocolate layer and quickly spread with a spatula.
05 - Sprinkle chopped pistachios evenly over the caramel, then finish with flaky sea salt.
06 - Refrigerate for 30 to 40 minutes, or until fully set.
07 - Break the bark into pieces and store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to one week.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours in a professional kitchen, but honestly takes less time than brewing coffee.
  • The contrast between snappy dark chocolate, silky caramel, and those nutty pistachios makes every bite feel like a small celebration.
  • It's the kind of homemade gift that actually makes people pause and say something nice about you.
02 -
  • Caramel is unforgiving about timing—watch the sugar like a hawk, because it goes from perfect amber to burnt black in about 10 seconds.
  • If your caramel seizes when you add the cream (which happens sometimes), just keep whisking and it will come back together.
  • The chocolate layer must be completely chilled before the caramel touches it, otherwise everything slides around.
03 -
  • If you're nervous about making caramel, practice with a smaller batch first—knowing what amber actually looks like removes half the stress.
  • Keeping the cream cold before adding it helps the caramel come together smoothly without any grainy texture.
Return