Another of the recent winter/holiday collection from DAVIDsTEA. White Cranberry Bark sounds delicious and I was hoping for a little more creamy taste. Perhaps because I just had a sample and only three of the little chocolate stars in it? So might be creamier if you buy in larger quantities.
“Hooked on that decadent white chocolate bark packed with tart cranberries? You’re not alone. Get your holiday fix with this tantalizing fruit infusion. With juicy red berries and creamy white chocolate stars, it’s a mega merry way to end any holiday feast.”
As a bonus, I have a recipe for making your own White Chocolate Cranberry Bark to go with your tea!
DAVIDsTEA White Cranberry Bark Tea Ingredients & Steeping Instructions
Ingredients: Apple (apple, citric acid), papaya, raisins, cranberries, elderberries, hibiscus blossoms, white chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, milk powder, sunflower lecithin), stevia extract, natural cranberry and chocolate flavouring
Steeping Instructions: 1-2 Perfect Spoons per 16oz near boiling (194℉ – 203℉ or 90℃ – 95℃) water. Steep for 4-7 minutes.
I used the 9g sample tin in a 12oz Perfect Cup. It started getting quite tart after 4-5 minutes so I wouldn’t steep it any longer than that. The loose leaf has an almost medicinal scent with a heavy hint of hibiscus more than cranberry. Like most of this collection, it does include stevia extract but is not as noticeable as in some of the other teas. I didn’t get the stevia headache that came from drinking Let It Snow or Caramel Shortbread either.
DAVIDsTEA White Cranberry Bark Tea Review
While steeping, DAVIDsTEA White Cranberry Bark starts off as a light pink and brews to a bright but deep cranberry red. The medicinal scent in the loose is not as obvious once steeping. It does have more of a cranberry smell when brewing. My homemade white chocolate cranberry bark smells a lot sweeter than the tea which is quite tart smelling.
The tea also has an oily film to it. Likely from the chocolate stars or perhaps juices from the dried fruits. It is not oily on the tongue but you can see the slick of shine on the mug and on top of the tea. As far as taste, this is less white cranberry bark and more just cranberry. I was hoping for a little more creaminess to the tea which would help with the tart hibiscus-cranberry taste. I don’t dislike it, just a little disappointed it doesn’t have more chocolate creamy flavour.
Homemade White Chocolate Cranberry Bark
Chocolate Bark of any kind is one of my fave things to make for the holidays. White Chocolate Cranberry Bark is super easy. Simply melt some good quality white chocolate (not baking chips) in a double boiler, add some cranberries and spread over a lined baking sheet. Then chill until you can break it into pieces, at least an hour. I used about 100g of white chocolate and 40-50g of dried cranberries.
It is even better if you add nuts to the recipe, but this is going to work with him to share and there are nut allergies so I went straight cranberry.
Yum, to both of those and I happen to have lots of cranberries.