Smooth, dark chocolate holds tender currants, almonds, and a spicy little kick! You will want it all for yourself, but your family may be on to you!
It’s a challenge to hide chocolate in this house. My children have shown great talent in quickly locating chocolate stashes – my chocolate stashes. Once they find them I inevitably feel guilty – and a tad embarrassed, at trying to claim all the chocolate for myself, so I just let them dig in.
One solution that I thought would work was to sneak chocolate chips out of the baking cupboard when I needed a fix. I figured no one but me would think of grabbing them, or would know when they got low.
Then, one time when I stood at the baking cupboard stuffing a handful of semisweet chocolate chips into my mouth, my daughter crept up silently behind me… and caught me in the act. (She has been much taller than me for many years now, so she was easily able to see what I was up to!)
For a while it was a secret stash that we shared together, but now the whole house knows about my little habit. And my children will probably be saddled with life-long chocolate thieving habits of their own. Sorry kids.
Later, I came up with this chocolate bark, and thought it would be mine alone if I made it with ingredients that only I like. I used smooth dark chocolate (they all claim to not like dark chocolate), coconut-flavored almonds and hot chili powder.
When the bark was set and the pan waiting for me on the table, the kids and my husband spied it and looked it over carefully. Then asked if they could try it. Uh-oh. But I figured once they popped a piece in their mouths that would be the end of it. “Of course, my darlings! Try some!”
Less than two days later the bark is gone. The kids and the husband discovered that they do like a combination of dark chocolate, coconut almonds, tender currants and chili powder. Curses! Foiled again!
To this day I still have no secret chocolate stash.
Maybe you’ll have better luck than me! The recipe is below, and here are a couple more ideas for your chocolate stash:
Spicy Dark Chocolate Bark with Almonds & Currants
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dark chocolate
- 1/2 cup roasted almonds, flavored if you prefer – I used Blue Diamond Toasted Coconut Almonds and they’re quite tasty!
- 1/2 cup dried currants
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon hot chili powder
Instructions
- Coarsely chop the almonds. Set aside. Line a small sheet pan (I used an 11″ x 10″) with waxed paper.
- Melt the dark chocolate in the top of a double boiler with water gently simmering in the lower half. Stir the chocolate until it is completely melted and smooth.
- Pour the melted chocolate into the lined pan. Use a rubber spatula to spread it out evenly in the pan. Sprinkle the chopped almonds over the top, followed by the dried currants. Pull the tines of a fork gently through to partially set the nuts and fruit into the chocolate. Sprinkle the sea salt and chili powder over the top. Place in the fridge for 1-2 hours until the chocolate is cooled and set.
- Break the solid bark into pieces and enjoy! Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place (I store mine… I mean, ours in the fridge.)
Suze
February 15, 2014 at 1:03 pmThose are such luminous pictures! It’s like you caught the angle of the sun on your creation just perfectly. Beatific bark. 😉
Nancy Mock
February 15, 2014 at 1:40 pmI appreciate that! I’m happy with how these came out too, I think the snow outside helped a lot with the brightness. I’ve been trying to work at improving my pics. Thanks Suze!
TaMara Sloan
February 15, 2014 at 9:45 amThis looks delicious! I know my small people would definitely eat it up quickly. Thanks for sharing at Food on Friday!
Nancy Mock
February 15, 2014 at 1:38 pmThanks as always to you too!
Nancy Mock
February 9, 2014 at 6:04 pmThank you Karen!
Karen Jones Gowen
February 9, 2014 at 3:42 pmThat chocolate looks absolutely fabulous, no wonder it disappeared!