Dark Chocolate Bark

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This chocolate bark makes a perfect homemade gift – if you can save enough to give away. Featuring dried apricots, pistachios, ginger, and dried cranberries, each bite tastes just a little bit different from the last!
Yield: approximately 20 pieces
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 525 g / 3 cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate pieces
  • 42 g / 1 tbsp Crystal margarine
  • 62 g / 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 40 g / 1/3 cup candied crystallized ginger, thin strips
  • 35 g / 1/4 cup unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped
  • 40 g / 1/4 cup dried apricots, medium diced
  • 2 g / 1/4 tsp coarse salt

Directions

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a bowl over a pot of just simmering water, place chocolate and Crystal margarine. Gently stir together, until thoroughly combined and smooth, about 5 minutes

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  3. Pour melted chocolate onto parchment lined baking sheet. Evenly spread chocolate into a 9 x 14 inch (23 x 35 centimetres) rectangle with a rubber spatula or an offset spatula. Immediately sprinkle dried cranberries, ginger, pistachios, apricots, and course salt over melted chocolate. Tap baking sheet gently onto table surface to sink the dried fruit and nuts into the chocolate. Allow bark to firm up at room temperature, in a cool place, for a few hours or set in fridge for about 15 minutes. Cut bark into pieces or break into irregular pieces.

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  4. Ideally store bark in a cool, dry place in an airtight container. Separate bark by using wax or parchment paper. For longer periods of storage, wrap well and store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Chef Notes

  • Any dried fruit (e.g. cherries, blueberries, coconut) or nuts (e.g. hazelnuts, slivered almonds, cashews) can be used in this bark.
  • White chocolate can be melted and drizzled over the set bark for contrast.
  • When melting chocolate, turn off heat and allow the residual heat to slowly and gently melt the rest of the chocolate. Too hot of heat and it will burn the chocolate.
  • Ensure no water or steam gets into the chocolate or the chocolate will seize. Wipe the bottom of bowl when taking it off the bain marie.

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