If you’d like to make some Easter candy, this Jellybean Chocolate Bark recipe is very versatile. You can make it with any chocolate—dark, milk, ruby, or white.

You can add jelly beans for Easter, and customize the bark for any holiday or special occasion: candy corn for Halloween (photo #2), Red Hots for July 4th, crushed candy canes for Christmas, etc.

You can mix food color into white chocolate to create different hues or use colored confectionary coating, and can top the bark with:

 
You can also mix 1 teaspoon of extract into the melted chocolate: almond, mint, vanilla—wherever your creativity leads you.
 
 
> Chocolate bark history.

> Jelly bean history.

> Chocolate history.

> Candy history.
 
 
ABOUT THE RECIPE & CONFECTIONERY COATING

This recipe, from Taste Of Home, was made with confectionery coating instead of real chocolate. The best-known consumer brand is Candy Melts.

Confectionery coating is imitation chocolate, made with fractionated palm kernel oil and hydrogenated palm oil instead of cocoa butter. The “chocolate” versions use imitation flavors, not real cocoa.

It looks like real chocolate, but we belong to the group that can really taste the difference between confectionery coating and chocolate.

Confectionery coating (photo #3) has many fans. It is less expensive and easier to melt, and Candy Melts comes in 15 colors.

Here’s a taste test” If you don’t like inexpensive white chocolate, your candy may have been made with confectionery coating instead of the real thing.

Here’s more about confectionary coating.

If a recipe calls for the Candy Melts brand or the generic confectionery coating, you can substitute real chocolate in equal amounts*.

The choice is yours.
 
 
RECIPE: JELLYBEAN CHOCOLATE BARK
 
Ingredients

 
Preparation
 
1. LINE a 15x10x1-inch pan with foil and grease foil with butter.

2. MELT the chocolate or candy coating in a microwave, melt; stir until smooth. Spread it into the prepared pan. Top with jelly beans, pressing to adhere. Let stand until set.

3. CUT or break the bark into pieces. Store it in an airtight container.

You can also add a teaspoon of coconut oil, vegetable oil, corn syrup, or shortening to your melted chocolate to get the texture closer to candy melts.

[1] Easter chocolate bark (photos #1 and #2 © Taste Of Home).

[2] Vary the toppings for other occasions, like this Halloween bark.

[3] Confectionery is typically sold in disks, for easy melting. These are from Merckens, a company that sells larger quantities (photo © Merckens Chocolate Melts).

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[1] Make some PB&J popcorn for National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day (photo © The Popcorn Board).

[2] How a PB&J smoothie on the side? Here’s the recipe (photo © Tru Roots Company).

April 2nd is National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day, the joining of two delicious foods into one magnificent concept: the peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

But the combo has been ported to confections, desserts, and snacks.

To celebrate, we have a recipe for a fun snack. How about Peanut Butter & Jelly Popcorn?

Thanks to The Popcorn Board for this recipe.
 
 
< There are more peanut butter and jelly recipes below.

> The history of PB&J.

> The history of peanut butter.

> The history of jelly.
 
 
RECIPE: PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY POPCORN

Peanut butter and jelly is a classic pairing that never goes out of style.

Here’s a fun recipe for both kids and adults alike.

You can store the PB&J popcorn in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
 
Ingredients For 4-6 Servings

1. STIR together in a large bowl the popcorn and jam until evenly coated. Transfer to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet.

2. SET a small heatproof bowl over a small saucepan of barely simmering water (or use a double boiler). Add the white chocolate chips and peanut butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes or until smooth and melted.

3. POUR the peanut butter mixture over the popcorn mixture. Sprinkle with the strawberries and cranberries and toss.

4. REFRIGERATE for 10 minutes or until the peanut butter mixture is set. Break into pieces to serve.

Crunchy Variation: You can use crunchy peanut butter instead of smooth, or sprinkle with 1/2 cup chopped peanuts in Step 3.
 
 
MORE PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY RECIPES

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We love healthy snacks, and here’s one we make with Once Again’s Organic Sesame Tahini With Lemon: a dip with crudités (photos #1 and #2).

Versatile, mildly nutty tahini delivers 6g of plant protein and 5g of fiber per serving, with no added sugar, salt, oil, or preservatives.

You can make the recipe with regular tahini, but lemon adds a nice zing.

Tahini is one of the principal ingredients in hummus, along with chickpeas. But this dip recipe is not hummus; it’s chickpea-free. Greek yogurt replaces the chickpeas.

In addition to enjoying it as a dip, you can thin the recipe below for a:

 
Once Again’s new lemon flavor is made with organic, dry roasted sesame seeds, plus organic lemon juice for a pop of bright flavor.

Once Again is also acclaimed for its nut butters—take a look.

Once Again products are certified organic, gluten-free, kosher, Non-GMO Project Verified, peanut free, and vegan. The brand’s has a Honest in Trade sustainability program.

There are two more tahini dip recipes below: one with red pepper and one with green herbs.
 
 
> Uses for tahini beyond hummus.

> The history of tahini.
 
 
RECIPE: LEMON TAHINI DIP
 
Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. BLEND all ingredients thoroughly. Garnish and serve.

 
 
MORE TAHINI RECIPES

 
 
________________
 
*You can also use the celery leaves as a garnish. Here are more ways to use celery leaves.
 

[1] Enjoy a healthful, lemony tahini dip with crudites (photos #1, #3, and #4 © Once Again).

[2] You can create a glorious pink and green crudités platter for Easter and other spring entertaining (photo © Seed + Mill).

[3] Once Again’s new Organic Sesame Tahini With Lemon..

[4] This lemony tahini dip is great with artichokes.

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