Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pretzel Bark

Disclaimer: This is not my recipe all the credit goes to Sarah Kieffer the recipe is from her 100 Cookies cookbook linked: here

Oh my goodness what can I even say about these? When I look at this picture I want them all over again! This Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pretzel Bark is extremely easy to make, and even easier to eat! There are 4 layers in this simple bark, starting from the bottom: a bittersweet chocolate layer, then a heavy cream, peanut butter and chocolate layer, then a semisweet chocolate layer and finally it is topped with salty pretzels. Like I said this dessert is very simple but the heavy cream middle layer gives it a soft interior to break up the harsh chocolate snapping. Additionally, the pretzels give it the perfect top off of salty and crunchy. It’s a light treat for after a dinner or a little sweet snack. A chocolate peanut butter lovers dream!

Disclaimer: This is not my recipe all the credit goes to Sarah Kieffer the recipe is from her 100 Cookies cookbook linked: here

Ingredients

• 10oz (283g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 14oz (396g) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• ⅓ cup (80g) heavy cream
• 3 tbsp creamy peanut butter
• 2 cups (70g) pretzels

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F.

1. With a pencil, measure out and mark a 9x13in in a (23x33in) rectangle on a piece of parchment paper. Flip the paper over (so the pencil marks are on the bottom), and then place the paper on a sheet pan.
2. Place the bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set it over a saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water). Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove the chocolate from the heat, and then pour it onto the rectangle on the parchment. Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate to fill the rectangle. Chill in the refrigerator until set, about 15 minutes. 
3. While the chocolate is setting, in the same bowl you used to melt the bittersweet chocolate, combine 6oz (170g) of the semisweet chocolate, the cream, and the peanut butter. Warm over the barely simmering water again, stirring frequently, until the mixture is just melted and smooth. Let the mixture cool until it is room temperature, about 15 minutes. Remove the sheet pan from the refrigerator and pour the chocolate-peanut butter mixture over the first chocolate rectangle. Using an offset spatula, spread the semisweet chocolate in an even layer. Chill in the refrigerator until very cold and firm, about 1 hour.
4. In a clean bowl, warm another 6oz (170g) of semisweet chocolate over barely simmering water until the chocolate is smooth. Remove from the heat and add the remaining 2oz (57g) of semisweet chocolate to the warm chocolate, and stir until completely melted. Working quickly, pour the chocolate over the firm chocolate-peanut butter layer, using a clean offset spatula to spread it to cover. Cover the surface with pretzels, gently pressing them into the warm chocolate so they adhere. Chill in the refrigerator just until firm, about 20 minutes. 
5. Carefully lift the parchment from the sheet pan onto a large cutting board. Trim the edges of the bark so they are straight and even. Cut the bark crosswise into 2in (5cm) wide strips, then cut the strips into squares or triangles.
6. Store the bark in an airtight container, layering sheets of wax or parchment paper between the layers so they don’t stick to one another. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.