Tis the season for holiday parties… and Hostess Gifting. Who doesn’t love chocolate?! This bark recipe is quick and easy. The cooling time can even be expedited in the fridge. I picked up a variety of great looking gift packaging options at Michaels Craft Store that I keep in a kitchen drawer to help make a hostess gift come together easily and look special. Num Num!!!
INGREDIENTS:
16 oz good chocolate bar, finely chopped (I used Belgium Milk Chocolate in this batch- i.e. don’t use chips!)
1/2 cup salted nuts
1/4 cup dried apricot, diced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
pinch Fleur de Sel
*We are lucky enough to have a Trader Joe’s around the corner. This is a great place to stock up on nuts and dried fruit at an affordable price. Their wide selection will also inspire you to experiment with different flavor combinations!
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
On a separate cookie sheet, spread a single layer of mixed nuts and bake for 8 minutes (or until you catch a whiff of yummy nut aroma wafting through the kitchen).
Place 3/4 of the chopped chocolate bar in a heat safe bowl in microwave. Microwave on high for 30
seconds, take out stir and repeat until the chocolate is warm enough to completely melt itself on the counter at room temp when you stir it with a rubber spatula. Add the remaining 1/4 of chopped chocolate and continue stirring until all chocolate is smooth and completely melted at room temperature (you may need to microwave for an additional 15 seconds). Do not heat more than necessary!
Pour the smooth chocolate onto the parchment paper and with the spatula, evenly spread into an 8×11″ rectangle.
Evenly sprinkle the nuts, apricots and cranberries on top of chocolate. If necessary, gently press pieces down so they set firmly in chocolate.
Sprinkle with a pinch of fleur de sel and place in a cool part of the house for 2 hours (Or in the fridge for 30 minutes).
Cut or break into 2×3″ pieces and fill up that cute gift bag!
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