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For a delightful Christmassy treat try this vegan Christmas popcorn bark by Romy London. This bark is a festive, sweet-and-salty treat that’s perfect for holiday parties or gifting. This indulgent recipe combines melted vegan chocolate with crunchy popcorn, mixed nuts, and crushed candy canes. It’s finished with festive sprinkles, adding a joyful touch to this versatile snack.
Read more: 20 Vegan Chocolate Dessert Ideas
The preparation is simple and quick. Start by melting vegan chocolate, then mix it with freshly popped popcorn and chopped nuts, drizzling in maple syrup for a hint of sweetness. Spread the mixture onto a lined baking sheet and top it with candy canes, vegan white chocolate chips, and sprinkles. Let it set in the fridge for a couple of hours before breaking it into pieces.
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Christmas popcorn bark
Ingredients
For the popcorn
- 3 tbsp of high smoke point oil coconut, canola, vegetable, or grapeseed oil
- 70 g popcorn kernels
- Salt to taste
For making the Christmas popcorn bark
- 300 g vegan chocolate melted
- 1 handful of popped popcorn plus extra for decorating
- 60 g mixed nuts e.g., almonds, walnuts, pecans, roughly chopped
- 2-3 vegan candy canes crushed
- 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup
- A pinch of salt
- 100 g vegan white chocolate chips for decorating
- Festive sprinkles for decoration optional
Instructions
To make the popcorn
- Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and add the oil. It’s crucial to use a high smoke point oil to prevent burning. Test the oil’s readiness by dropping in a few kernels; once they start to sizzle, it’s time to move to the next step.
- Pour in the popcorn kernels, ensuring they form a single layer at the bottom of the pan. Immediately cover the saucepan with the lid to trap the heat.
- Holding the saucepan with oven mitts, continuously shake it gently back and forth over the heat to ensure even cooking. This prevents kernels from sticking or burning.
- Within a minute or two, you’ll start hearing the kernels pop. Keep gently shaking the pan throughout the popping process.
- Once the popping slows down to 2-3 seconds between pops, immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. Be careful as the residual heat can cause popcorn to burn.
- Wait for about 30 seconds to allow steam to escape. This helps to ensure your popcorn stays crispy rather than becoming soggy.
- Transfer the freshly popped popcorn to a large bowl and sprinkle with salt or any desired seasoning while it’s still warm. Toss the popcorn gently to coat evenly.
Making the popcorn bark
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Break the chocolate into pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Melt the chocolate either using a double boiler or by microwaving in 30-second intervals, stirring well after each interval until smooth and fully melted.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the popped popcorn and roughly chopped mixed nuts. Drizzle the maple syrup over the mixture and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Pour the melted chocolate over the popcorn-nut mixture. Use a spatula to gently fold and coat the popcorn and nuts evenly with the chocolate.
- Transfer the chocolate-coated mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread it out into an even layer using the spatula, creating a rough rectangle or square shape.
- Sprinkle the crushed candy canes, chocolate chips and festive sprinkles over the surface of the chocolate-covered popcorn-nut mixture.
- Place the baking sheet in the fridge for about 1-2 hours, or until the chocolate has completely hardened and set.
- Once set, remove the bark from the fridge and break it into irregular pieces using your hands or by gently cutting with a knife.
This recipe was republished with permission from Romy London.
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