Black Forest Chocolate Bark with Almonds and Cherries

Dark chocolate, toasted almonds and tart dried cherries come together in one tray of bark. You chop, grate and spread everything by hand, then let it set into a glossy sheet. Black Forest flavor without any baking, and the pieces cut cleanly into neat portions for serving or gifting.

This Black Forest chocolate bark brings the flavors of the classic cake into a simple candy you make on a single tray. Whole almonds and dried cherries are chopped on a wooden board, a block of dark chocolate is grated into fine curls and shavings, and everything is folded into a thin layer of melted chocolate.

The top is finished with more cherries, chopped almonds and small white chocolate pieces pressed gently into the surface. Once the bark is firm and glossy, you lift the whole sheet out and cut it into rectangles with a Santoku knife. The result is a dessert with a smooth dark surface, glossy red fruit and crunchy nut pieces, ready to serve or pack in a box.

Ingredients

Why this recipe works

The bark works because the chocolate is used in two forms. Grated chocolate melts quickly and makes a smooth base, while the larger chunks keep their shape and give the bark a little texture when you bite into it. Spreading everything into a thin, even layer also helps the chocolate set evenly, so the sheet breaks into clean pieces instead of crumbling.

Pressing the cherries, almonds and white chocolate onto the top before the chocolate sets is what gives the bark its finished look. The toppings lock into the surface as it firms, so each piece shows red fruit, pale flecks and nut pieces on the outside.

Chopping the nuts and fruit by hand rather than in a processor leaves the pieces irregular in size, which keeps the texture varied from bite to bite.

Notes and substitutions

Choose a dark chocolate you enjoy eating on its own, since it makes up most of the bark. A bar with a cocoa content around 60 to 70 percent gives a balanced flavor against the sweet dried cherries.

Whole almonds are toasted or raw as you prefer; chopping them yourself keeps the pieces crisp. Because the bark has few ingredients, the quality of each one shows in the finished pieces.

You need a sturdy chef's knife and a wooden board for chopping, a box grater for the chocolate, and a metal baking tray lined with parchment paper so the sheet lifts out easily. A Santoku knife gives clean, straight cuts through the set bark.

Disposable food-safe gloves keep the chocolate and fruit clean when you press the toppings into place. If you do not have a box grater, chop the chocolate into small pieces with a knife and fold them in.

• dark chocolate: semisweet chocolate of the same weight for a sweeter bark
• dried cherries: dried cranberries, though the color will be less red
• whole almonds: toasted hazelnuts or pecans, chopped the same way

Equipment

• Large chef's knife
• Wooden cutting board
• Box grater
• Metal baking tray or sheet pan
• Parchment paper
• Santoku knife
• Disposable food-safe gloves