The holidays are BACK, which means it’s holiday gifting time! My favourite thing to gift is, of course, edible gifts (not the weed gummy kind, but that seems like a great gift too, hehe)! I’m talking COOKIES, candies, treats galore, all packaged up in something cute and festive and not too fussy. Thus, I’m sharing this easy vegan chocolate toffee candy bark that EVERYONE will love!
My chocolate toffee Ritz Cracker bark is sweet and salty, rich and chocolatey, with a buttery-candy-crunch.
What You Need to Make Vegan Chocolate Toffee Bark
Folks – there’s a not-so-secret ingredient here that is the salty-crispy-buttery key to this vegan chocolate toffee bark. It’s GOOD OLD RITZ CRACKERS! They fall into the delightful category of “secretly vegan!” What is secretly vegan, you ask? The term refers to easy-to-find grocery store items that also happen to be plant-based. BONUS!
For this recipe you will also need brown sugar and unsalted plant-based butter. In Canada, I love using unsalted Becel brand brick butter.
Next, you’ll need some high quality dark or semi-sweet dairy-free chocolate! I love using Callebaut 811 chocolate, in callett form(chocolate chip-like pieces).
Additionally, don’t forget your flakey sea salt to finish! Just a light, snowflake-like dusting of crisp little salt pieces for texture and flavour.
For equipment, you’ll need a heavy bottomed medium sauce pan. You’ll also need a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and a candy thermometer! SOFT CRACK! (This will make sense a little later.)
Holiday Baking – Gift Wrapping Ideas
I like easy-breezy times when it comes to gift wrapping my holiday baking. I’m talking cute IKEA tins, little cellophane bags tied with charming festive ribbons, or a lined paper coffee bean bag with tin ties, decorated with a simple circle sticker. When using tins, I like to place my cookies or toffee bark in a zip-lock bag first, then tuck it into the tin. If I’m using a large cookie tin (like the one above!) COFFEE FILTERS make a cute and cost-effective divider for your treats!
I’m pretty pumped to share this toffee bark recipe with you! Everyone who tries this candy finds it ridiculously irresistable, and no one will know it’s vegan, either!
Easy Vegan Chocolate Toffee Bark
equipment
- 1 candy thermometer
- 1 heavy bottomed sauce pan
ingredients
- 52 individual Ritz Crackers, original flavour
- 336 grams unsalted brick-style plant based butter, I use Becel brand
- 350 grams brown sugar
- 300 grams high quality dark chocolate calletts, I use Callebaut brand
- 1 tbsp flakey sea salt, sprinkle to taste
instructions
- Line a half-sheet (18 x 13 inches) baking pan with parchment paper.
- Line the sheet pan with 52 Ritz crackers.
- In a medium saucepan on medium-high heat, melt together the plant based butter and brown sugar, stirring with a wooden spoon to combine. Securely latch a candy thermometer onto the saucepan.
- Allow the mixture to bubble and boil up until the candy thermometer temperature reaches 290 degrees, or "Soft Crack" stage. The mixture will have thickened and darkened in colour and will be quite bubbly. Careful, it's very hot!
- Using oven mitts and working quickly, carefully pour the candy mixture on top of the prepared sheet pan of Ritz crackers, spreading the candy with an offset spatula to the edges of the sheet pan, covering all the crackers.
- Allow the candy to set up for a few minutes – it will firm up fairly quickly. While the candy is still hot but firmed, sprinkle the chocolate callets on top of the candy. Use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate to cover all of the candy.
- The residual heat from the hot candy will melt the chocolate. Once melted, spread the chocolate to smooth out any lumps or bumps. Let cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Once the chocolate has cooled a little, sprinkle the flakey sea salt on top.
- Place the entire sheet pan in the freezer to set – about 20 to 30 minutes. Once firm and chocolate has set, use parchment paper to help break up into small pieces.
- Use tongs to place into cellophane candy bags – tie with a ribbon, and gift away!
notes
Finally – what are we making for the holidays this year!? I’m going to attempt a toadstool mushroom-centric holiday stump cake for the Vegan Night Market (I’ll be selling copies of PLANTCAKES with one of my dear friends, Shira from The Acorn!), a birthday cake for my hubby and some sort of hilarious yule log. Plus, my family and I have our annual tradition of making gingerbread houses, covering them with our favourite candies, and then EATING THEM while watching a holiday movie … (usually Christmas Vacation!)
PS – if you’re holiday shopping, grab a copy of Plantcakes: Fancy + Everday Vegan Cakes for Everyone for your sis, your BF, your GF, your great-grandma – it’s got something for everyone!
xo Lyndsay
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