Easy Take 5 Bark

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Homemade Take 5 bark that is better than any store bought version and is ready in 30 minutes!

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I have a bit of a confession to make. While I have a major sweet tooth and LOVE chocolate, I’m actually quite selective (okay, a snob!) when it comes to purchasing treats that I can make at home. In my opinion — and I hope to convince you of this too — homemade just tastes better! You know exactly what is going into your baked goods, you can even add more or less of certain ingredients, and they taste SO much more fresh and full of flavor.

There are some exceptions to this rule. Levain Bakery cookies, Cheesecake Factory cheesecake, and Ghirardelli boxed brownies are a few items that I stand by and will continue to repurchase. 

However, as I said above, homemade is typically better — and that is absolutely the case with candy. When I first started my baking journey, I began by scouring Pinterest and finding new recipes to try out. One of the first recipes I came across was for Loaded Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Bark by Lisa at Simple Joy. And when I tell you that it was absolutely life changing, I mean it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made this recipe over the last 7 years, but it’s a lot. It’s without a doubt the most highly requested treat that people ask me to make. And for good reason: it’s AMAZING.

Given how much the Loaded Reese’s Bark is loved, I began thinking about other variations that I could make. Creating a Take 5 bark has been on my list for awhile and once I received a few comments asking for a version on Instagram, I knew it was my sign to go for it. Using the Loaded Reese’s Bark as my inspiration, I made a few tweaks and added a few extra ingredients to develop this recipe.

This Take 5 bark is heavenly. Sandwiched between milk chocolate, it has layers of fluffy, creamy peanut butter, salty pretzels, gooey caramel, and peanuts. This bark is a great mix of sweet and salty, and just a warning: it’s impossible to only eat one piece. A quick and easy recipe that’ll be a hit at any party or as a substitution for store bought holiday candy, trust me, you need to make this!

Bark recipes are some of my favorite recipes for a few reasons:

1. It’s incredibly easy to make — unlike other desserts and baked goods, making bark doesn’t require professional baking skills. All we’re really doing here is melting ingredients and spreading them onto a pan. Recipes like these are great for anyone at any age and skill level, which makes it fun for everyone!
2. There are minimal ingredients required. I don’t know about you, but nothing makes me more overwhelmed than seeing a laundry list of ingredients for a recipe. While you may need to buy a handful of ingredients for this recipe, you probably have most of them on hand.
3. It comes together fast. I’m a huge fan of quick, simple, and easy recipes, and bark recipes always check those boxes. If I can make an unreal treat and spend less than an hour in the kitchen, I’m pretty happy.
4. They’re delicious and better than store bought versions. It’s true and once you make this bark, you’ll understand the hype. Homemade IS better!

Read on for the full recipe for this easy Take 5 bark.

Ingredients you’ll need

• Milk chocolate chips (I used milk, but you can use semisweet or dark)
• Creamy peanut butter
• Unsalted butter
• Powdered sugar
• Pretzels (I used Snaps)
• Soft caramels (I used two bags of Werther’s Soft Caramels)
• Milk
• Peanuts

Kitchen tools you’ll need (linking my favorites below!)

• Prep bowls 
• Measuring cups
• Spatulas
• Whisk
• Baking pan
• Parchment or wax paper

How to make this delicious Take 5 bark

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Set aside.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, place 2 cups of milk chocolate chips. Microwave the chocolate chips in 8-10 second increments.
3. Once the chocolate chips are fully melted, pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, creating an even layer. Place in the refrigerator to chill.
4. Using a stand mixer, combine the peanut butter, room temperature butter, and powdered sugar. Mix on high speed for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is well combined and smooth.
5. Remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator and spread the peanut butter on top of the chocolate layer. Top the peanut butter layer immediately with a layer of pretzels. 
6. Place the baking sheet back in the fridge to chill while the caramel layer is made.
7. In a microwave safe bowl, place the soft caramels and 2 tbsp of milk. Microwave in 8-10 second increments — in between each increment, use a spatula to move the caramels around so that they don’t stick to the bottom of the bowl. Keep microwaving and stirring until the caramel and milk are fully combined and smooth.
8. Remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator and pour the caramel over the pretzels, spreading it into an even layer. Immediately top the caramel layer with peanuts. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator. 
9. Microwave the remaining 2 cups of milk chocolate chips, following the same process as in Step 2.
10. Remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator and pour the melted chocolate over the peanut layer, spreading it into an even layer.
11. Let the bark chill in the refrigerator or freezer for at least 2 hours or overnight.
12. Once set, slice with a knife.
13. Store bark in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Tips for success

• Whenever you are measuring dry ingredients (powdered sugar for this recipe), use a kitchen scale or the spoon and level method. Before scooping out dry ingredients, use a spoon and run through them, fluffing them up and removing any clumps. The spoon and level method entails spooning the ingredient into the measuring cup and using a flat top tool to level off the top and remove any excess. 
• When microwaving ingredients like caramel or chocolate chips, make sure to use a microwave safe bowl and heat resistant spatula or whisk. Do not microwave the ingredients for long periods of time — I recommend 8-10 second increments. In between each increment, use a spatula or spoon to move the ingredients around so that they don’t stick. This may be difficult to do in the beginning, but it’s a must to ensure that nothing burns and that you achieve the correct consistency. 
• Let your bark chill. While I do sneak samples all the time (and you should too!), do your best to let your bark set and chill in either the fridge or freezer. I like to wait at least 2 hours or overnight as it makes the bark easier to slice.
• Use a knife to slice your bark. I do not recommend using your hands. This bark has layers and if you use your hands, you’ll have a mess of peanut butter and other ingredients. Furthermore, the heat from your hands will warm the bark up which could potentially make this process messier than it needs to be.

How to store

Store the bark in the refrigerator in an airtight container or bag for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. Depending on how cold your refrigerator is, you may need to let the bark warm up for a few minutes before eating. If you’ve frozen the bark, let the bark defrost / warm up until it’s easy and safe to bite into.

I think you get it by now — I’m a huge fan of homemade treats, especially bark and this Take 5 bark is no exception. It comes together in less than 30 minutes and tastes just like a Take 5 candy bar. I’ll let you be the judge if you think it tastes better. I hope you found another new recipe to love and are a little bit more convinced that homemade is better. Try out this bark and let me know what you think!

If you try this recipe, share and tag me on socials using @itsbrunchoklock or #itsbrunchoklock