The Holiday Kitchen :: Chocolate Bark with Spiced Nuts and Dried Cranberries
Chocolate Bark with Spiced nuts and Cranberries
Last week I shared a recipe for Spiced Almonds with Sea Salt. They're great to serve up before a holiday meal as they won't fill you up. They also make for lovely gifts - for friends, neighbors, and teachers. Click here for the recipe.
Feeling in a creative mood, I wondered what these spiced nuts would be like in a chocolate bark. I happen to love sweet and salty. I had a feeling this would be pretty good. It was actually better than I had imagined. The smooth, deep chocolate is sweet yet almost bitter, the nuts have a crunchy smoky saltiness and the round off the experience with their chewy tartness. For those looking for decadent and satisfying, low carb, gluten-free treat, you need to look no further. This is super easy to make and also makes for wonderful gifts - Wrap some up in a pretty cellophane bag with a pretty bow, or present it on a pretty one of a kind plate and it makes a lovely hostess gift to any holiday party.
Ingredients:
- 1 bag semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (roughly 2 1/2 cups) - I used a mixture of the two as I was using up two partially used bags.
- 1 - 1 1/4 cup of spiced almonds
- 1 cup of dried cranberries
Chocolate Bark with Spiced nuts and Cranberries
Directions:
In a double boiler - or you can create one of your own by placing a metal bowl over a pot of boiling water. Heat water to a boil, reduce heat, place metal mixing bowl over the boiling water - add your chocolate chips and stir slowly as they melt. Keep stirring until the mixture is completely smooth - no lumps.
While the chocolate is melting, line a brownie pan or small square or rectangular cake pan with parchment paper. When the chocolate has completely melted and is smooth, pour into the pan and onto the parchment paper.Spread to ensure that chocolate has been evenly poured.
Add the nuts and cranberries (see below) and cover so that most of the pieces are completely covered. (It doesn't look terribly pretty at first... but it will!)
Chocolate Bark with Spiced nuts and Cranberries
Fold the parchment paper over the top of the mixture so that all is covered. It's ok to press down.
Place the pan in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. It is best to cool for at least an hour.
When the chocolate bark has completely hardened removed from the fridge.
Chocolate Bark with Spiced nuts and Cranberries
Carefully by hand, start breaking off the bark into pieces. Some pieces will be larger than others. This is OK. If are some are too big for your liking you can then break those pieces further. There is no right or wrong size. When all the bark has been broken apart you can place it onto a pretty ceramic dish and serve or place it in an airtight container and in the refrigerator.
Chocolate Bark with Spiced nuts and Cranberries
Or you can keep sampling pieces to make sure that the sizes are all right and to ensure that it tastes as good as possible! But I'm warning you...
Chocolate Bark with Spiced nuts and Cranberries
This stuff is very addicting! So before it is too late, share it with a friend... or two!
Chocolate Bark with Spiced nuts and Cranberries
If you don't want to share it, hide it in the veggie drawer... No one will look there!