I’m not sure it would be Christmas without a lil’ something sweet.

This year I made two of the recipes from the latest issue of Bon Appetit (those chocolate ones on the cover (OMG!) and the blood orange polenta shortbreads, which were completely amazing). I even made two more batches of the blood orange polenta shortbreads for my friend’s annual bake sale in support of the Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization.

And earlier in the month, I made this chocolate matcha bark!

This is a flavor combination I’m a little obsessed with. I bought some matcha during New Seasons’ annual sale on tea. I’ve been picking up a matcha latte here and there in town, and they vary so much! I think my favorite is at Presso Coffee Bar in Kenton. And I’ve learned that coconut milk is my favorite milk to use. No one is surprised.

But I wanted to see what else I could do with it, too. And I’d heard of pairing matcha with chocolate before – so I had to try it. It was a fun game digging through my pantry of goodies to come up with toppings, too!

I ended up with chopped Goji berries, pistachios and black sesame seeds. But the combination possibilities are endless. I’d just make sure to choose things that are dried or roasted. A raw nut might get soggy after a couple of days.

I’m looking forward to sharing these and a bunch of other cookies with my family this weekend. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Ingredients

• 1 bag best quality dark chocolate chips (I recommend Ghirardelli)
• 3/4 cup best quality white chocolate chips (once again I recommend Ghirardelli)
• 1/2 to 1 tsp. matcha powder
• Small amount of coconut oil
• Toppings: any seeds, dried fruit, roasted nut pieces, etc. that you like!

Instructions

1. Prepare a sheet pan with a sheet of parchment paper.
2. Use a double-boiler or a heat safe bowl on top of a saucepan with 1 inch of water in it over medium-low heat to melt the dark chocolate. When fully melted, spread a layer about 1/4 inch thick on the parchment paper. It will not fill the pan – you’ll be making a freestyle shape
3. Working quickly and carefully, clean the bowl/pan and melt the white chocolate chips. If they are not melting as well as the chocolate chips, add a very SMALL amount of coconut oil – maybe 1/8 tsp, and stir in until completely incorporated.
4. When the white chocolate is fully melted, whisk in the matcha. Carefully drop dollops randomly on the chocolate layer, then use a chopstick to stir the green around until you are happy with the appearance.
5. Finally, add your toppings. I like to throw the candy in the fridge to speed the set up time. You can use a knife or your hands to snap the bark into pieces when it’s completely set up.