Monday, October 7, 2013

Dark Chocolate and Cherry Bark

Dark Chocolate and Dried Cherry Bark:  a (simple) gluten- and grain-free dessert.  

Great to keep...or to give away.

This recipe comes from my Secret Recipe Club assignment for October:  the lovely blog of Mellissa of A Fit and Spicy Life.  Mellissa and her husband live in Minneapolis, and when she's not working her day job as a marketing manager, she's loving on her sweet doggies, sipping on delicious wines, and cooking wonderful food.  In addition to the treasure-trove of fantastic recipes, Mellissa's blog is chock-full of all sorts of wonderful workout-tips (Dive-Bomber push-ups, anyone?!)!  I seriously watched the video and got on the floor and did...ONE.  And then I died.  :)  

I scrolled through Mellissa's many wonderful recipes and settled on this delicious Chocolate "Bark."  (I guess it looks sort-of like tree bark, hence the age-old name?)

Mellissa's recipe calls for a combo of semi-sweet and bittersweet chocolates.  I used only bittersweet (60% cocoa.).  Also, she used almonds (I subbed pistachios) and dried cranberries (I forgot to add them!).  I flip-flopped her method by putting the nut and fruit mixture down first and pouring the melted chocolate over.  The end result is similar, but I believe her chocolate layer must have been much smoother than mine turned out to be. 

Pistachios, Dried Cherries, and Bittersweet Chocolate.  

Melt the chocolate in a homemade double boiler (saucepan filled with simmering water, topped with a bowl with the chocolates).

Arrange the dried cherries and pistachios on a parchment-lined baking sheet and pour over the melted chocolate.  

Allow it to "set" for about 2 hours.  

Voila.  

I broke it into pieces,

And put it in jars so I can GIVE IT AWAY instead of scarfing down the whole batch.

Here's the funny part about this recipe:  as I was breaking the bark into pieces, I had a deja vu moment.  I HAVE MADE THIS VERY RECIPE BEFORE from another SRC-er's blog!!  Katherine Martinelli has a delicious Pistachio, Cherry and Dark Chocolate Bark recipe.  I think her recipe was why I subconsciously swapped the almonds for the pistachios...I love the color contrast.   

Anyway---I really hope you are inspired to make this yummy stuff.  And please swing by Mellissa's blog!  It's a real treat! 

(Here's the printable recipe...)

Dark Chocolate and Cherry "Bark"
Makes a 10" x 10" square...yield depends on size each piece is broken into

16 ounces dark (bittersweet) chocolate

1 cup dried cherries
1 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped

Melt the chocolate by placing it in a bowl over a saucepan filled with simmering water.  (Or use a double boiler.)  Stir occasionally while the chocolate melts (about 10 minutes).

Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper.  Spread the dried cherries and chopped pistachios into about a 10" x 10" square.

Pour the chocolate over the nuts and fruit in as even a layer as possible.

Allow the "bark" to rest for about 2 hours (time will depend on temperature of room).  When set, break into pieces and serve. 

Store in an airtight container.

Recipe from here and here.




13 comments:

Camilla M. Mann said...

This looks delicious! I don't know why, but I only remember to make bark at Christmas time. I might have to make this sooner this year. Thanks for sharing with the SRC.

Lisa said...

How perfect for the holidays.

Sawsan@chef indisguise said...

I had the pleasure of being assigned your blog this month.
I loved going through your wonderful recipes.
I love chocolate bark but have never made it. I think I need to change that

Sara said...

Mmmm, this chocolate bark looks AMAZING - yum!

Unknown said...

perfect idea for Christmas! Especially with the red berries and green nuts.

Mellissa said...

So glad you liked this!

Delishhh said...

This is so different from the normal bark - love it. Saving this recipe. Maybe perfect holiday gift this year!

Anonymous said...

This looks amazing- great SRC pick!

Stephanie said...

OK, can't resist. I think at least one version of the recipe (it had dates and used unsweetened chocolate) was originally mine. I know Katherine Martinelli was assigned me quite a while ago and made it. And seriously, give it away quickly if you want to not eat it all because the combination is irresistible to me.

by Deva said...

Seems a perfect gift for Christmas.

Tasha’s Artisan Foods said...

Dark Chocolate Bark has got to be hands down the easiest candy to make EVER! They are incredibly adaptable and fun to make. Dark Chocolate Bark is a foolproof healthy dessert for Valentine's Day and beyond.

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