White and Dark Chocolate Bark with Cherries and Pistachios
Chocolate bark is the easiest, most satisfying candy you can make at home. My white and dark chocolate bark with cherries and pistachios is sweet and salty, with the perfect balance of sweet and bitter.
½lbhigh quality dark chocolateor 2 3.5 oz chocolate bars
½lbhigh quality white chocolateor 2 3.5 oz chocolate bars
3tablespoondried cherries
3tablespoonroasted and salted pistachioscoarsely chopped
2teaspoonmaldon sea salt
Instructions
Prepare your workstation. Place a long piece of parchment onto your work surface and secure each end with a piece of tape or something heavy (like your topping bowls). Portion the cherries and set aside. Portion and chop the nuts and set aside.
Chop the dark chocolate into small pieces and set aside. Chop the dark chocolate into small pieces and set aside.
Add three-quarters of the dark chocolate pieces to a microwave safe bowl. Heat in the microwave on high for thirty seconds. Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir the chocolate with a rubber spatula. Return the bowl to the microwave and heat again for thirty seconds, then stir. Heat again for thirty seconds, then stir. By now, the chocolate should be completed melted. If it's not, return to the microwave in 15 second intervals until all of the chocolate is just barely melted after 10-15 seconds of vigorous stirring.
Add the remaining quarter of unmelted dark chocolate pieces to the melted dark chocolate. Stir vigorously until all of the chocolate is smooth and melted. The dark chocolate is now tempered and ready to use.
Repeat the tempering process as described in steps 3-4 for the white chocolate.
Using a rubber spatula, transfer the dark chocolate from the bowl onto the parchment paper. Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate into an even layer that is roughly ½" thick.
Spoon the white chocolate onto the dark chocolate into evenly spaced circles.
Using a wooden skewer or lollipop stick, swirl the chocolate. Starting with the top left circle, drag the stick from left to right across the top, the down into the second row from right to left, then into the third row from left to right, and finally into the bottom row from right to left.
Repeat this process vertically. Starting again at the top left corner, drag the stick through the chocolate from top to bottom through the first column, then from bottom to top, and then again from top to bottom.
Sprinkle the dried cherries and pistachios over the chocolate in an even layer. Then, sprinkle the chocolate and toppings with the sea salt.
Set the chocolate aside to cool down and harden at room temperature.
Once the chocolate is completely hardened, break into chunks and store in an airtight container. Bark keeps at room temperature for approximately a week, or in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Notes
Cooking time does not reflect time to cool, approximately 2 hours at room temperature.