Christmas Chocolate Barks

These assorted chocolate barks are the second part of the Spanish Soft Almond Nougat recipe I published last week, we call them here 'turrones' (singular turron) and they have been a total hit with my family! Now everybody wants a piece of these chocolaty delights every day and there are just a few squares left...I should make more!

I think this has been the year I've published more Christmas recipes but now it's time to relax a little bit and enjoy some quality time with my small family, actually I have a lot of relatives but rarely keep in contact with most of them (not gonna wash the dirty laundry here).

This weekend though I'll start to prepare the first recipes of 2016 and maybe I manage to squeeze one of them in my schedule right before New Year's Eve.

But for now let me wish you a wonderful Christmas! Eat, enjoy, laugh, hug tightly your loved ones and forget about the bad things at least during these days.

All my love,

G.

Receta en español en la web de El Granero Integral.

Christmas Chocolate Barks
(yield: 4 barks)

Ingredients
- For the chocolate base:
225 g dark chocolate (70 % cacao).
40 g cacao butter (or coconut oil).
- To make the different flavors we'll add to the chocolate base:
· For the chocolate and puffed rice flavor:
30 g puffed brown rice (I used one that comes sweetened with agave and coconut).
· For the chocolate and puffed grains flavor:
15 g puffed oats.
15 g puffed quinoa.
· For the chocolate, nuts and dried fruits flavor:
90 g mixed nuts (walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, cashews, etc).
A small handful of raisins.
Two slices of candied orange, chopped.
Two drops of orange essential oil.
· For the chocolate & roasted almonds flavor:
100 g whole almonds.

Directions

Melt the cacao butter using the double boiler method and, once the butter has completely melted add in the chopped chocolate and slowly stir together until well combined. The chocolate mixture should look extra shiny and smooth. Set aside.

Puffed rice chocolate bark:

Add the puffed rice to the melted chocolate, stir well and pour this mixture into your silicone mould (I use this one to make my own chocolate barks, nougats, etc.). Let it cool for a few minutes at room temperature and then chill in the fridge until solid.

Puffed oats and quinoa chocolate bark:

Repeat the same process as with the previous flavor.

Dried fruits & mixed nuts chocolate bark:

Pour the melted chocolate into the mould and add in the chopped nuts and dried fruits. With the back of a big wooden spoon gently press down the chunks. Let it cool at room temperature and transfer to the refrigerator until completely solid.

Roasted almonds chocolate bark:

Roast the almonds in a lightly greased pan with coconut oil. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon to ensure all the almonds are evenly roasted. While the almonds are cooling melt the cacao butter and dark chocolate in a double boiler.

Pour into the mold half of the melted chocolate, add the roasted almonds (whole, not chopped) and finish coating them with the rest of the chocolate. As with the other flavors, let cool at room temperature and transfer to the fridge.

Once the chocolate barks harden it's time to unmold and store them refrigerated, wrapped with plastic wrap in an airtight container to prevent the chocolate absorb strong odors.