Description
This Cherry Almond Chocolate Bark is delicious and easy to make after a quick lesson on tempering chocolate. Take a moment to read, it is not as hard as you think and the results are well worth the effort. This chocolate bark is a great treat to give as a gift or just to have on hand when the craving hits.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 8–ounces bittersweet chocolate
- 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds, cooled
- 1/2 cup sweetened dried cherries
Instructions
- Bring 1 to 2 inches of water to a simmer in the bottom of a double boiler. Reduce heat to maintain the barest simmer. Make an ice bath in a large bowl. Set up a towel next to the ice bath to dry off the bottom of the bowl and to keep it from skidding around. Set aside a clean dry baking sheet.
- Finely chop chocolate into evenly small pieces. Place the chocolate in cool, clean, dry top of the double boiler. Place over the simmering water and stir until the chocolate is almost completely melted, allowing steam to evaporate as necessary, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and continue stirring until the chocolate is completely smooth
- Place the bowl of melted chocolate over the ice bath and stir until there is a thin layer of solid chocolate at the bottom of the bowl. Make sure not to splash any water into the chocolate. Transfer the bowl to the prepared towel and stir until the chocolate is melted off the bottom. Return the bowl to the ice bath and stir until a solid layer is formed again. Repeat stirring the chocolate on the towel. Continue this process until the chocolate will no longer melt when it is moved to the towel, it becomes matte and thick.
- Working quickly, transfer the bowl to the double boiler and stir until the chocolate starts to soften and become glossy around the edges 5 to 15 seconds. Remove to the towel and stir until the chocolate is evenly melted. Stir in almonds and cherries and immediately spread out on the baking sheet to a rough rectangle about ½-inch thick. Allow to cool at room temperature until completely solid. Then cut into strips. Break the strips into chunks if desired. Store at room temperature.
Notes
To make ahead: Store at room temperature for several weeks (if it lasts that long.)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 pieces
- Calories: 270
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 68 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g