Spiced Fruit & Nut Chocolate Bark

This is a super simple and delicious chocolate bark recipe that I use over and over. It’s quick and easy and you can play around with the toppings depending on the season or what nuts and dried fruits you have at home. It also makes a lovely gift. I keep mine in the freezer until I’m ready to eat it as it tends to melt easily once out of the freezer.

Ingredients:

• 200g of good quality dark chocolate

• 80g of mixed nuts (I like pecans and almonds)

• 1/4 cup of coconut oil

• 1tbsp maple syrup

• 50g dried unsweetened cranberries

• 2 tsp mixed spice (or cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger)

• Grated zest of one orange

• A sprinkle of sea salt

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180°.

• In a small saucepan melt your coconut oil on a low heat. When the coconut oil is melted stir in the maple syrup, salt & spices and whisk well until they’re all combined.

• Stir your nuts into the coconut oil mix until they’re fully coated and pop them into the oven on a baking tray for about 8 minutes. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool fully.

• Break up the chocolate and melt it over a bain-marie until its silky smooth.

• Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and pour in your melted chocolate, spreading it thinly and evenly across the tray.

• Sprinkle the melted chocolate with your nuts, fruit, a pinch of sea salt and a grating of orange zest.

• Pop the tray into the freezer and freeze overnight. When it’s fully solid take it out of the freezer and break it up into randomly sized chunks.

• I like to keep the bark in the freezer and take it out as a I need it. It should keep well in the freezer for a couple of weeks