How To Melt Almond Bark For Smooth Dipping

For those of you who are unfamiliar, almond bark isn't actually a food product containing almonds (although, occasionally, the term is used to describe chocolate bark with almond pieces in it). Instead, traditionally, almond bark refers to a variety of chocolate that is made with vegetable fats instead of cocoa butter (although it still contains cocoa powder). When melted, it's used as a coating for other foods — such as nuts, which is where it got its name. Really, almond bark is intended for melting more than eating as is, so how do we melt it?

Just like when melting normal chocolate, you can use the microwave. To do this, start by cutting the almond bark into smaller pieces to make it easier to melt. Then, place the pieces in a bowl and heat in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between. It's important to remember to stir so that you don't burn the chocolate. Once it is close to finishing melting, you can reduce the time to 10 or 15-second intervals until it's fully melted.

Additionally, you can choose to use your oven to melt the almond bark. For this method, cut up the bark into chunks and put them on a baking sheet. Then, bake at 120 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. When the time is up, stir it immediately, then transfer it to a bowl or container.

As mentioned above, melted almond bark is perfect for coating any type of nut, if you'd like to make a homemade snack that is both savory and sweet. For another salty-sweet combination, you could dip pretzels into the melted almond bark, which would be just as delicious.

Of course, we have to talk about chocolate-covered fruit. There's the most common example, strawberries, which are the perfect vessel for using up that melted almond bark. But there are so many types of fruit that would be super tasty covered with chocolate — slices of apples, kiwis, or bananas are each a more unique (but just as delicious) option. Or better yet, you can dip some of each in the chocolate and make a spread — it would make for a perfect light dessert tray for a dinner party. And if you want to make the chocolate-covered fruit pieces even more decadent, you can add sprinkles, chocolate chips, or even nuts to the outer coating.

You could also prepare a bowl of melted almond bark to use solely as a dipping sauce for whatever dessert you serve. Several types of cookies work well for this — such as madeleines, shortbread cookies, or even chocolate chip cookies.