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Christmas and chocolate go so well
together. Growing up we always had a tin of Quality
Street chocolates on hand as well as those delicious tasting Chocolate
Turtles. These days, however, I like to make my own chocolate candy, and this
Chocolate Bark has become a favorite. I make it with my favorite brand of
chocolate and I love its jagged pieces studded with
an assortment of dried fruit and nuts. It makes a tasty snack and I also
like to serve it after a meal with those easy-to-peel Clementine oranges.
When I make Chocolate Bark I like to temper the chocolate so the
bark will be nice and shiny, dry to the touch, with a hard and brittle
surface which "snaps" when you break it. The method I give here for
tempering involves just two steps, slowly melting the chocolate and then cooling
the chocolate. If you do not want to
temper then simply melt the full one pound (454 grams) of
semi sweet chocolate with 1 teaspoon of shortening, a flavorless oil, or butter in a
heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Once melted,
remove from heat and spread into a 10-12 inch (25-30 cm) circle on a
parchment lined baking sheet. But if you decide to temper, Step One is to melt
about 11 ounces (300 grams) of good quality, finely chopped semi sweet or
bittersweet chocolate in a clean and dry heatproof bowl placed over a
saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir frequently so the chocolate will melt
slowly and evenly, and then remove from heat. Wipe the bottom and sides of the bowl
to remove any moisture that may have formed. Step Two is to cool the
chocolate. This is done by stirring the remaining 5 ounces (155
grams) of finely chopped chocolate (in three batches) into the melted
chocolate. Make sure that each batch of chocolate is thoroughly melted
before adding the next batch. Use a rubber spatula and be patient as this
will take a little time. As the chocolate cools it will start to thicken
and lighten in color. You know the chocolate has reached the proper
temperature by measuring with a chocolate thermometer 88 - 91 degrees F
(31 - 33 degrees C) or you can place a small dab of melted chocolate on
your lower lip and it should feel about body temperature (not too warm or
too cool). If the melted chocolate is too warm, add a little more finely
chopped chocolate. If the melted chocolate is too cool, warm for just a
few seconds in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water.
It can now be
spread into a 10-12 inch (25-30 cm) circle on a parchment lined baking
sheet.
If you have spent any time on the site you know I often talk about how
the brand of
chocolate you use will affect the flavor of what you are making. This is
particularly important here so, as
always, choose
your chocolate carefully. There are many good brands of dark semi sweet
and bittersweet chocolate on
the market, both foreign and domestic. Some of my favorite brands of dark
chocolate are: Guittard, Lindt, Scharffen
Berger, Dagoba, Theo, and Valrhona. There are so many dried fruits you
could use to decorate this bark.
For Christmas I like to use dried cranberries and papaya, but cherries,
apricots, prunes, figs, dates, coconut, and strawberries are also
excellent choices. Now,
dried fruits have come a long way in recent years in both availability and
quality but there are a few things to keep in mind when choosing your
fruit. First, try to buy in bulk from a grocery store or natural food
store that has a high turnover. Not only will the fruit be fresher, but
you can see, smell, feel, and often taste the fruit to make sure it is
fresh and of high quality. Pre-packaged fruit can also be excellent but it
is harder to tell the quality of the fruit through the plastic bag. Make
sure to check the expiration date on the bag. Always look for dried fruit
that is plump, moist, and has good color. Never buy fruit that is dried
out or moldy. There is a debate about whether to buy 'sulphured' or 'unsulphured' dried fruits. Some like to buy 'sulphured'
which means that it has been treated with a sulphur dioxide solution. This
preserves the fruit's bright color and makes the fruit very soft and moist. The downside is
that some people can taste the preservative while others are allergic. Of
course, 'unsulphured' means it has not been treated before it is dried and
some say the flavor of untreated dried fruits is far superior. The downside is
that the fruit's color may be slightly faded looking, especially
dried fruits (like apples, pears, and bananas) that oxidize
quickly.
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