Lately I have been on this chocolate craze and it seems I just cant stop.

In the morning when I wake or at night before I go to bed, I just have to have my chocolate.

I would scream and beg for chocolate…

Even Bark for it… Thats right, Bark… In this case, Chocolate Bark… 

Choclate Bark is a great confection to make and for any season.  It is exceptionally great during the holiday season as a gift for loved ones.

The creativity you can have when making chocolate bark is limitless..

Start with using a great dark couverture chocolate, and top it with dried fruits, freeze dried fruits, nuts, crumbles, powders, etc…

Have fun with it.

This is a great way to satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth

The key to a great chocolate bark is to make sure that everything is balanced correctly.

My chocolate bark is balanced with sweet, salty and Bitter notes.

I top it with Salted Caramel, Roast Marcona Alomonds, Cocoa Nibs, Maldron Sea Salt and Gold Luster Powder for a nice sparkly appearance.

But enough of talking about it,  because I am getting hungry.  Please enjoy the recipe I’ve provided below.

To get a great illustration on how this should be done, reference my YouTube Video and watch me make it.

FOR SALTED CARAMEL

½cup                     sugar (115g)

1/8cup                 butter (26g)

1/8cup                 cream (26g)

Half of ¾tsp        salt (pinch)

• Place the sugar in a med saucepan and cook to a med caramel over low heat
• In a separate saucepan over low heat, combine the butter and cream, melting the butter
• Slowly stream in the melted butter mixture into the caramel, whisking vigorously to emulsify
• Stir in the salt
• Line a 9×9 inch baking pan with parchment paper and coat with vegetable oil spray
• Pour the caramel into the backing pan and allow to cool at room temperature
• Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until hard
• Once set, remove the caramel from the pan and cut into ¼ inch pieces

ROAST MARCONA ALMONDS

1 cup Whole Marcona Almonds

• Pour the Alomonds on a tray and bake in the oven at 350F until roasted and fragrant.
• Coarse chop the almonds and place in a scaling container or bowl
• Set to the side

OTHER TOPPINGS

1/2 cup cocoa nibs

2 TBS Maldron Sea Salt

Gold Luster Dust Powder

• Place each ingredients in a scaling container and set aside for assembly

64% TEMPERED CHOCOLATE (Microwave Method)

1lb 64% Couverture Chocolate

• The number one goal is to keep the chocolate in its tempered state which is staying below 34C while melting
• Pour chocolate in a plastic bowl
• Heat in the microwave on full power for one min
• The chocolate will seem like its not melted; however, it contains hot spots
• Give the chocolate a stir and the heat in the microwave again for 30 seconds
• This time the chocolate should be melted to a paste like texture
• Stir the chocolate well again to distribute the heat throughout the chocolate
• Heat in the microwave again for 10-15 seconds
• At this point, the chocolate should be melted well with a few of the chocolate coins left inside the mixture.
• This is good because the leftover chocolate coins contain the good crystal that the chocolate needs to help set.
• Mix the chocolate well, the chocolate should be warm enough to melt the remaining chocolate.
• If you find yourself stirring too long, (more than three minutes), then give the chocolate a quick burst of heat in the microwave for 3-5 more seconds…
• Do a test on the chocolate by dipping a piece of parchment paper in the chocoalate and setting it on a cool surface.
• The chocolate should begin to set within 2-3 min
• If it doesnt, then continue stirring and cooling the chocolate.
• Once tempered, pour out on to a piece of parchement, spread to the thickness you like and add your toppings.

To get a great illustration on how this should be done, reference my YouTube Video and watch me make it.