Turtle bark is a no-bake candy treat that tastes just like your favorite turtle candy! Add this easy, 4-ingredient recipe to your next holiday dessert tray.
Recipe summary
Flavor: Sweet, rich, nutty. Tastes just like your favorite turtle candy!
Four ingredients. Made with dark chocolate, pecans, caramel candies, and heavy cream.
No-bake and easy. Make a batch in 20 minutes or less, no oven needed!
Great for: Valentine's Day gift giving, holiday candy tray.
Similar to: Pistachio Cranbery Bark and S'mores Bark
Jump to:
Ingredients and substitutions
- Dark chocolate melting wafers - Dark chocolate wafers can be substituted with milk chocolate wafers or white chocolate wafers. Melting wafers are ideal because they've already been tempered and are intended for making candy at home. Don't use chocolate chips because they don't melt as easily and have a dull, soft finish when solidified.
- Pecans - Can be substituted with chopped walnuts.
- Soft caramels - Any brand of soft caramels works in this recipe. I used Werther's soft caramels today.
- Heavy cream - Helps thin the caramel to a drizzling consistency.
How to make turtle bark
- Melt wafers in the microwave and add pecans, stirring to combine.
- Pour onto a parchment lined baking sheet and spread into a thin oval.
- Melt caramel and heavy cream in a small bowl and stir until combined.
- Drizzle over bark, top with reserved pecans, and refrigerate until hardened. Slice into squares and serve.
Tips and tricks
Melt wafers in the microwave - Using a microwave can be tricky if you're not watching carefully. Your wafers can easily overheat and become grainy or scorched. To prevent this, microwave your chocolate in 30 second increments. Stir and repeat until melted.
Melt wafers on the stovetop - Place your melting wafers in a metal bowl. Fill a saucepan with about an inch of water and bring to a simmer on the stovetop. Place your bowl on top of the saucepan, ensuring the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. The steam from the simmering water slowly warms the bowl, melting your wafers evenly and safely.
Line your tray with parchment - Solidified chocolate bark will stick to an unlined baking sheet, so be sure to line with parchment paper (or foil if you don't have parchment).
Storage
Candy bark will keep at room temperature for about 1 week or in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks in a tightly sealed container.
You can also freeze chocolate bark for up to six months in a tightly sealed, freezer safe container.
Frequently asked questions
No, melting wafers are best for making homemade candy because they melt easily and solidify with a candy bar 'snap' and shiny finish. Chocolate chips are made to hold their shape when heated, so they're harder to melt. Not only that, but they solidify with a dull finish that melts easily when handled.
I like to buy Ghirardelli chocolate melting wafers at my local grocer. I've found them at Kroger, Publix, and Walmart. They're consistent and easy to find anytime.
If I plan ahead and shop online, I prefer Merkens. The flavor of their melting wafers is superior and they melt beautifully every time. I've purchased from and recommend Dyane's Sweet Tooth when shopping online. Merckens is also available on Amazon for a hefty markup. You may also find Merkens at a cake supply store local to you.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Turtle Bark
Ingredients
- 10 ounces dark chocolate melting wafers
- 1 cup chopped pecans, divided
- 15 soft caramels
- 2 teaspoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Choose a baking sheet that will fit into your refrigerator and line it with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add chocolate melting wafers and microwave in 30 second increments, stirring until melted. Alternatively, melt using a double boiler on the stove top.
- Add ¾ cup of the pecans to the melted chocolate. Stir gently until incorporated.
- Pour chocolate mixture onto your parchment lined baking sheet. Using a spatula, spread to about ¼ inch thickness to create a 10 to 12 inch oval.
- In a bowl, add soft caramels and heavy cream. Microwave in 30 second increments until caramel is soft and warm. Stir until heavy cream is fully incorporated.
- Use a spoon to drizzle the caramel over the chocolate bark. Top with reserved pecans.
- Transfer baking sheet to the refrigerator or freezer to harden for about 10-15 minutes. Break into pieces and store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Storage: Candy bark will keep at room temperature for about 1 week or in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks in a tightly sealed container.
- Can I use chocolate chips?: No. Meting wafers are tempered and meant for melting and at-home candy making. Chocolate chips are meant to hold their shape and solidify with a dull, soft texture instead of the candy "snap" you achieve with melting wafers.
Comments
No Comments