Homemade Hostess Gifts

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Homemade hostess gift | Pistachio chocolate bark with Himalayan Pink Salt | Lindt Chocolate giveaway | Maple and Marigold

End of the year means holidays and entertaining, and friends and family. With all this going on festive time can get expensive. Last year I started a new tradition – homemade hostess gifts using candied nuts and flavoured sugar. These were so well received by my friends that I decided to make it an annual tradition.  

When Lindt Chocolate invited me to meet with one their Maîtres de Chocolatiers and learn about chocolate I knew I had to say YES! The experience was amazing. I learnt that not only does Lindt Chocolate make glorious chocolate, they are also committed to a high standard of ethics and sustainability. That means the chocolate that you buy is delicious AND it’s giving back to the people who deserve it – the farmers. Homemade hostess gift | Pistachio chocolate bark with Himalayan Pink Salt | Lindt Chocolate giveaway | Maple and Marigold

After the session, I came away filled with inspiration, as well as tips and techniques for working with chocolate.

Did you know:

  • When tempering chocolate, do not let the melted liquid reach a temperature higher than 33 degrees. 
  • Use Silpat instead of parchment paper – it will be easier to handle the chocolate. I learned my lesson early in working with chocolate.
  • When making chocolate bark use chocolate with cacao no more than 70%, the flavour will be unbeatable.

And boy were they right! One of the recipes I learned was for Chocolate bark – just what I needed for homemade hostess gifts.

Pistachio Chocolate Bark With Himalayan Pink Salt

Homemade hostess gift | Pistachio chocolate bark with Himalayan Pink Salt | Lindt Chocolate giveaway | Maple and Marigold

Recipe for Homemade Chocolate Bark

Ingredients

  • 4 bars of 100 grams each dark choc – chopped
  • 1/2 cup of chopped roasted pistachios
  • A sprinkle of Himalayan salt
  • I also tried other toppings – see below.

Steps

  1. Melt and temper the chocolate. See tips below
  2. Add the pistachios to the melted chocolate. Stir to combine.
  3. Spread on a baking tray lined with silpat.
  4. Sprinkle with some more pistachios and press them down with parchment paper.
  5. Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes to let it set.
  6. Let it sit on the counter (at room temperature).
  7. Store in an airtight container, in a cool place.
Homemade hostess gift | Pistachio chocolate bark with Himalayan Pink Salt | Maple and Marigold

Tips From My Kitchen

  • Ideally one needs a double boiler to temper chocolate. Since I don’t have one (and I refuse to buy another kitchen utensil) I put together a make-shift solution – a small Pyrex glass bowl that fixes on top of a pan with boiling water. Don’t let the bowl touch the boiling water otherwise, the chocolate will seize.  
  • I tried different toppings – candied orange peels and nuts were by far my favourite. Experiment with the flavours you like and customize the recipe with your favourites. 

Disclaimer: This post was inspired by a visit with the Lindt chocolatiers and I came away with samples. The narrative and opinion is mine. 

Puneeta Chhitwal-Varma<br/><small>Photo by Tanvi Madkaiker</small>
Puneeta Chhitwal-Varma
Photo by Tanvi Madkaiker

About Puneeta

Author, Educator, Speaker

Puneeta is a writer, food advocate and guide for those who seek earth-friendly, delicious solutions that work for real life.

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