Apparently, American chocolate bark is made by mixing fruit and nuts into melted chocolate and French chocolate bark is made by embedding the toppings into the surface of the chocolate – I think this version looks fancier and so much more delicious!
I used Lindt chocolate and a mix of hazelnuts, cashews and pistachios, but you can adapt this recipe to include whatever dried fruit, peel and nuts you have in your pantry – or to whatever your personal flavour combination favourites may be. This is a simple, easy recipe to whip up for holiday parties, hostess gifts, friends and relatives or as a treat for yourself – be sure to hide it away though or it’ll disappear before your eyes!
French Chocolate Bark
(adapted from an Ina Garten recipe)
1 cup of whole roasted, salted nuts
7oz good milk chocolate, finely chopped
7oz good dark chocolate, finely chopped
2oz good white chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup of crystalized ginger, diced
1/3 cup of dried cranberries
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spread the nuts on a sheet pan and bake for 8 minutes then set aside to cool.
Use a pencil to draw a 9″x10″ rectangle on a sheet of parchment paper placed on a sheet pan, then turn the parchment paper over so you can see the lines but you won’t get pencil in your chocolate!
Place your finely chopped milk and dark chocolate into a glass bowl and microwave on high for 20-30 seconds. Stir with a rubber spatula. Continue to heat and stir in 20-30 second increments until the chocolate has just melted. Stir vigorously until smooth, glossy and slightly cooled.
Pour the melted chocolate onto your prepared parchment paper and spread into the rectangle template shape.
Sprinkle the top evenly with your toppings starting with the ginger, then the toasted nuts and lastly the cranberries.
Melt the white chocolate in a glass bowl using the incremental microwaving method described above – try using 10-15 seconds because its a smaller amount. Once just melted, stir until smooth and then use a butter knife or teaspoon to drizzle the white chocolate diagonally across your bark.
Set the bark aside for 1-2 hours until firm, then cut or break into pieces and serve at room temperature – especially with good coffee or hot chocolate!
