Dark Chocolate Chili Bark with Cherries

These colorful and delicious treats are perfect for the holiday season.

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We’re going to show you how you can achieve great taste using everyone’s favorite treat: chocolate. This content was created in partnership with Food52.

We look forward to tins full of holiday treats every year. In addition to being a bright spot in our days, they’re also perfect for placating guests until dinner starts, or for the spontaneous midnight snack. If you’re lucky, someone will make you dark chocolate chile bark with cherries.

We love this recipe for its spicy bite from the cinnamon and cayenne pepper and for its kick of sweet and tart from the cherries and the bittersweet chocolate. But the best part? It’s quick and easy to pull off.

Just toast the almonds for 10 minutes at 350° F, then give them a rough chop. Melt your chocolate, kick it up with the cayenne and cinnamon, and pour it all onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the almonds, dried cherries, and a touch of flaky sea salt over the top. Refrigerate for about 45 minutes, and break the hardened chocolate into pieces. And that’s it! You have the simplest holiday treat of the season.

Live.Love.Lux Tip: Never worry about scorching your chocolate when cooking with an Electrolux induction range — melt your chocolate at a low, consistent heat with the precise temperature control of induction.

chocolate bark

Dark Chocolate Chile Bark with Cherries

Servings: 3 dozen pieces

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Ingredients

2/3 cup almonds, roughly chopped

12 ounces dark bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup dried cherries

Sea salt

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350° F, and toast the almonds until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Roughly chop when cool.

Place ¾ of the chocolate in a bowl and slowly melt the chocolate, either in the microwave checking and stirring it every 25 seconds or over a double broiler on the stovetop. When all of the chocolate is melted, take it off of the heat and add in the remaining chocolate, stir until it is completely melted.

Add the cayenne and cinnamon to the chocolate and stir to incorporate. Add more to taste if you want things spicier.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pour the melted chocolate onto the sheet. Sprinkle on the dried cherries and the toasted almonds, pressing them into the chocolate as needed. Sprinkle a healthy pinch of flaky salt over the top.

Place the baking sheet in the fridge and allow to chill for 45 minutes. Once it’s cool, break the bark into pieces and keep in a sealed container in the fridge.

Photos by James Ransom

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