Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup hazelnuts (about 4 ounces)
- 1/3 cup dried tart cherries
- 3 tbsp finely chopped crystallized ginger
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (about 1 cup)
Preparation:
1. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and set aside.
2. Turn the oven to 350, and place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet in the oven. Bake them until they are golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes, stirring them once or twice during the process.
3.Once the hazelnuts are toasted, remove them from the oven and, working in several batches, place them in a kitchen towel and rub them between your hands to remove their skins. Most of the skin should flake off, it’s okay if some specks remain on the nuts. Set aside the skinned, toasted hazelnuts until cool.
4. Next, prepare your chocolate. If you want to temper your chocolate follow these instructions, otherwise, simply melt your chocolate in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each interval to avoid overheating.
5. While the chocolate is melting, coarsely chop the nuts and the dried cherries, and finely chop the candied ginger. Once the chocolate is melted and smooth, add the nuts and fruits and stir until well-combined and totally coated with chocolate.
6. Spread the chocolate mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet and press it into an even layer about a quarter-inch thick. Refrigerate the sheet until the chocolate is fully set and hard, about 30 minutes.
7. Once set, break the bark into small pieces to serve. Untempered bark will need to be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, while tempered bark can be stored at cool room temperature. This bark will keep for about a week.
