Cranberry Pistachio Dark Chocolate Bark
By Robin Horn
It’s Bark!! And according to Kaiser, my health care provider, it’s “food for health.” They’re the experts, right? They offered a version of this healthy-ish treat on their website recently. I tweaked the recipe, by simplifying the process and upping the proportion of chocolate. While it’s not entirely keto-friendly, it is vegan and gluten-free. So it’s a reasonable (and fast!) choice for potlucks. Plus, it’s chocolate!
Kaiser uses a double boiler to melt the chocolate. I find the microwave a faster and less messy substitute. Use any kind of shelled pistachios: raw, roasted, unsalted, or lightly salted. Raw nuts have the greenest color, but I prefer the taste of roasted — so I used half and half. Most dried cranberries contain some sugar, and personally I don’t think unsweetened would taste good in this recipe. I used a combination of plain and orange-flavored organic dried cranberries from Trader Joe’s.
Topping the bark with coarse sea salt adds an elegant touch and a pop of unexpected flavor. I use Maldon sea salt, because the large, flat crystals add a decorative element without adding overpowering saltiness. Any coarse sea salt will work fine. Fleur de sel, with its large crystals, can easily get too salty, so use it with a light touch.
Smoothing the chocolate into a thin, even layer before adding the goodies is important. A flat plastic tool that can be held from the top is best, like the Pampered Chef pan scraper or the King Arthur bowl scraper, or anything with a similar profile. For ease in preparation, assemble this and other necessary tools: rubber spatula, small stirring spoon, spoon rest, and parchment, before starting the melt. Also, before or during melting, measure out pistachios, cranberries, and salt into 3 shallow bowls that can be accessed with chocolate-y hands.
Try this bark at a party, for gift giving, or for any occasion that demands chocolate.
Cranberry Pistachio Dark Chocolate Bark
serves ~ 10 – 12
- 12 oz. dark chocolate, at least 70% dark
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup pistachios, raw or roasted
- a few pinches of Maldon sea salt
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Break up chocolate while still in the wrapper by smacking firmly and repeatedly with a weighted mallet. Unwrap and slide chocolate into a 4-cup pyrex measuring cup. Melt chocolate in the microwave. Times may vary, so do cut down on the time if your microwave is super powerful. Also, remember to stir, stir, stir between ‘wavings:
- Microwave for 1 minute. Stir melted chocolate from the sides and bottom of the cup.
- Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir to distribute unmelted chocolate.
- Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir thoroughly until almost all of the chocolate melts.
- Microwave another 30 seconds. Stir till chocolate is thin, glossy, and consistent in temperature and texture throughout.
Pour out chocolate onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Scrape out the measuring cup with your rubber spatula. Spread chocolate out into an even layer with a small pan scraper or similar tool. Even out with a larger scraper if desired.
Sprinkle on about 1/3 of the pistachios, as evenly as possible. Follow with 1/3 of the cranberries, distributing as evenly as possible. Fill in with a second round of pistachios, followed by a second round of cranberries. Then, on the final rounds, fill in any gaps, especially around the perimeter.
Press down gently with your hands to ensure that nuts and berries are embedded in the chocolate. Finish with a light sprinkling of salt.
Place bark in the freezer for 20 minutes. Do not over-freeze, or the chocolate surface can get powder-y (learn from my mistake!). Remove from the freezer and break up into pieces with your hands.
Place on a serving plate or if giving as a gift – in a decorative tin.
Robin Horn
Robin Horn is a Felton resident and a member of the Kuzanga Marimba ensemble of Santa Cruz. In addition to reading, writing, cooking, travel, and gardening, her favorite things include nature, art, and community. She deeply appreciates her many supportive friends, and loves spending time with them.
