CREATE 2 CHOCOLATE LAYERS

Important Tip: When melting chocolate, the bowl and all kitchen tools used must be completely free from water droplets. Everything must be bone dry to prevent the chocolate from seizing and developing a grainy texture. Just one drop of water can ruin the whole batch of chocolate.

RECIPE PREP: Line a 9 x 13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving 2 inches of overhang on the 2 long sides.

1. Reserve 1 cup dark chocolate chips. Set them aside. Add remaining dark and milk chocolate chips to a heat-safe bowl. Microwave on medium power (50%) in 30-second bursts. Stir well after each session. Monitor the process closely. Continue until smooth and melted.
2. Add reserved 1 cup dark chocolate chips to the bowl. Stir until added chocolate is smooth and melted. Do not return the bowl to the microwave. Be patient. Let the residual heat melt the chips. This is the professional method for tempering chocolate. When done correctly, chocolate will look glossy rather than dull, and will snap when cooled. 
3. Pour melted chocolate into prepared pan. With a spatula, spread it into a smooth even layer. Let it sit at room temperature while you prep the white chocolate. DO NOT refrigerate. If the dark chocolate layer is hardened and cold, the white chocolate layer will not bond to it. 
4. Reserve 1 cup white chocolate chips. Place remaining white chips in a heat-safe bowl. Repeat process for melting in the microwave. Pour white melted chocolate over dark chocolate layer. Smooth it into a layer with the back of a spoon. Gently tap pan on counter to level out the layers.

CREATE COBWEB AND SPIDERS

Note: There’s no right or wrong way to pipe on the cobweb or create the spiders. The number of spiders in the web is up to you. Each spooky creation is very unique.

1. Chop bar of semi-sweet chocolate into very small pieces. Transfer chocolate to a bone-dry, heat-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 15-second bursts, stirring after each, until melted and smooth.
2. Let melted chocolate sit 5 minutes at room temperature. Transfer to a small zip-top bag with a tiny piece of the corner snipped off, or to a decorating bag fitted with a No. 3 round piping tip.
3. Use parchment paper “sling” to lift slab of chocolate from the pan. Transfer it to a wooden board. 
4. Pipe cobwebs over chocolate slab. Use chocolate drops for bodies, and malt ball halves (cut side down) for heads. Attach pieces with leftover melted chocolate from the spiderweb. With the tube of black decorating gel, pipe the spiders’ eyes and legs.

How to slice chocolate bark: Transfer slab to the fridge until it’s time for slicing. To slice, use a long serrated knife and a firm back-and-forth rocking motion. Serve on a tray with additional pieces of candy.