You heard me. Bacon. Popcorn. Chocolate. That’s right! This salty-sweet combination is so delicious it should be illegal. Forget stringing popcorn around your tree—this delectable treat is where it’s at.

Ingredients

• 2 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
• 1/3 cup kettle corn, popped
• 1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
• 7 ounces dark (72% cacao) chocolate, finely chopped

Procedure

1. Create mise en place: Make sure you have everything you need—prepped ingredients and equipment—ready to roll before you start cooking. You’ll need 7 ounces dark chocolate, 2 slices center-cut bacon, 1/3 cup kettle corn popcorn, and 1/8 teaspoon coarse salt. As far as equipment goes, you’ll need a small pan, a microwave-safe bowl, and a baking dish lined with parchment paper.
2. Stir and sizzle: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped bacon; cook 4 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon from pan and lay on a paper towel to get rid of extra fat.
3. Melt the chocolate: Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 20% power for 15 seconds; remove bowl from microwave, and stir. Repeat procedure about 4 or 5 times, micro­waving and stirring until most of chocolate has melted. Let stand 1 minute or until chocolate is thoroughly melted and smooth, stirring occasionally.
4. Spread it thin: Pour chocolate mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish lined with parchment paper. Spread to 1/16-inch thickness.
5. Top it off: Set a new favorite holiday tradition—let your little helpers top this gift-worthy bark. Spread popcorn and bacon evenly and sprinkle with coarse salt.
6. Cool and serve: Freeze 5 to 10 minutes to set. Break bark into 15 pieces (about 1 ounce each) and serve!