Ok, ok! I’ll concede that I might actually have a little, teensy tiny bit of a sweet tooth. There – I said it. Though it’s true that I often pass on the candy and cupcakes at work, I think I do actually crave sweet things. Sometimes. Especially if I make them myself, which means sweet, but not too sweet and most of the times means something Salted. What can I say? I’m a salt fiend. It just makes dessert more interesting – that pop of something salty – always surprising – makes sweet taste so much sweeter.

This time of year, I love ginger snaps. They’re spicy and somehow warming. My favorite kind are the really gingery ones that have a good bite and nice chew to them. The Whole Foods brand gingersnaps are just perfect. I had a half a bag of those, some dark chocolate chips and hazelnuts. So, I made bark with them, which is basically a pretty way of saying chocolate with mix-ins.

This recipe is actually really simple. Crushed store-bought ginger snaps, melted chocolate, ground hazelnuts and a bit of flaky salt. That’s pretty much it. The hardest part is waiting for the stuff to cool. Next time, I might try graham crackers or even pretzels. The possibilities are endless, and that’s why I love recipes like this.

Salted Gingersnap & Hazelnut Bark

3 cups gingersnaps (I like the Whole Foods brand)
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup hazelnuts
1 tsp. flaky sea salt

Place the gingersnaps in a bag and beat them with a spoon or rolling pin until broken into rough pieces. You don’t want to crush them or they won’t stay crisp. Place the broken cookies on a silpat (or silicone) mat or piece of parchment.

Place a pot of water over medium heat. Put your chocolate chips in a metal bowl and place it over the pot of hot water, creating a double boiler. Stir your chocolate until it melts through, then carefully pour it over the gingersnaps until completely covered. Use a spatula to spread it evenly over the cookies.

Quickly sprinkle the hazelnuts over the chocolate in an even layer. Then do the same with the salt.

Let cool completely – until the chocolate has hardened through (you can refrigerate it on a flat surface to speed up the process. Peel the big piece from the silpat mat and transfer to a cookie sheet. Use a large knife to cut it into pieces.

Makes approx. 12 2-inch squares