Fruit Anise Bark
This is pretty healthy if you use the right chocolate and loads of nuts. I know chocolate has a bit of a bad rap from time to time, but I totally disagree. If you are eating dark chocolate from a good source, you will find you are eating a very high antioxidant, low sugar treat. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it!)
A few notes on real chocolate, vs chocolate melts as found in a supermarket cooking aisle. The chocolate I use is couverture and already tempered, which means this method will work, but only if you use tempered chocolate. The best part about using the couverture is that it is very wholesome with about 3-4 ingredients usually. Maybe more if you count vanilla in white couverture. The highest percentage ingredient is cacao based, so cacao liqueur, cacao butter, cocoa perhaps. If not, you are using a confection and it is not so good for you, generally high in sugar and added fats such as palm oil.
HOWEVER if you want a no fail on the bark situation, go ahead and use the melts as they will set unless you burn them. So if using the melts, do not go to 50°C. Skip that step entirely. You will only need the initial heating/melting phase.
These will make the perfect gift and if you get all creative and make several versions with different chocolates swirled together, very David Jones Christmas food gifty!
OH...another note on roasting nuts for inclusions in this bark. It is better to slow roast and get a very crunchy result by doing so. I generally have a rule for roasting nuts, placing them into a cold oven set to 200°C for exactly ten minutes. But in this instance, to dry them out and make them crunchier, place them into a cold oven set to 150°C for at least 25 minutes. Oil content in nuts will vary from variety to variety, so have a taste and judge for yourself at the end of the cooking time. Remember that once nuts have cooled they will be crunchier than when eating them piping hot straight from the oven.
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Need
- 1 Tablespoon anise seeds
- 30 Grams cherries dried
- 30 Grams apricots
- 40 Grams cashews salted, roasted (or other nuts of choice)
- 400 Grams chocolate dark in pieces BUY
Do
- 1
Reserving a few of everything for garnish, place anise seeds and whatever dried fruits and nuts you are using (add seeds if you are nut free) onto a silpat mat.
- 2
Temper chocolate by placing 300g into Thermomix bowl and milling 10 sec/speed 9. Scrape down sides of bowl and melt 10 min/37ºC/speed 1. Increase heat to 50ºC and melt 2 min/speed 1.
- 3
Add remaining 100g of chocolate pieces and stir for 2 min/speed 1 or until all chocolate has melted.
- 4
Pour over arranged fruit and nuts evenly so that they are covered.
- 5
If you wish to add the white chocolate swirl as shown, melt a few white chocolate melts in the microwave, and dollop onto the chocolate before it sets. Use a toothpick or chopstick to swirl through. Then finish with the reserved fruits and nuts for garnish.
- 6
Chill until firm and break into pieces.
More
This is a sweet snack full of chewy fruit and crunchy nuts, perfect to nibble or wrap as a gift.
Tenina Holder is a wife, mother of five and grandmother of eight, who started cooking in the olden days before Thermomix was even a thing.
Tenina has become the premium go to source for all Thermomix expertise and of course fresh and easy recipes that work. Her cooking classes and foodie trips are sold out in literally hours, her cookbooks appear on the Australian best seller lists and her social reach is in the millions. Her Insider Club is the most fun you can have with a Thermomix and you really should join her! She believes chocolate, butter and salt are health foods. Her food positivity mantra is, eat everything, just not all at once!
