For this confection you can use practically any combination of nuts or dried fruits and any type of chocolate. Making bark is a good way to use up valuable leftover chocolate.

　　

Ingredients

10 to 14 pieces

　　8 ounces chocolate (bittersweet, milk, or white), finely chopped

　　1 cup whole nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, or pistachio nuts), toasted, at room temperature

　　

Step 1

Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Melt and temper the chocolate (see pages 25–30). Stir the nuts into the chocolate, coating them completely. Turn the mixture out onto the baking sheet and spread it with an offset spatula to an approximate thickness of 1/4 inch, depending on the size of the nuts. Refrigerate to set the chocolate (15 to 20 minutes) then let the bark sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Hold the bark with parchment or waxed paper and break it into pieces. This will prevent finger marks on the bark.

　　

Step 2

Between layers of parchment or waxed paper in a tightly covered container, the bark will keep for 1 week at room temperature; if the container is wrapped in several layers of aluminum foil, the bark will keep for 1 month in the refrigerator. The bark is best served at room temperature.

　　Truffles, Candies, and Confections