CHOCOLATE BARK

Bark like a pro

Cut the Chocolate:Chopping chocolate into small pieces allows it to melt quickly and evenly. A large serrated knife creates small shards that melt easily. A large chef’s knife or a chocolate chopper works, too.

Temper the Chocolate:Adding a chunk of solid chocolate to melted chocolate encourages the growth of stable crystals in the melted chocolate. The large piece is easy to remove once the melted chocolate is at the right temperature.

Spread the Chocolate:An offset spatula makes quick work of spreading the tempered chocolate; speed is important because you don’t want the chocolate to harden before the toppings go on.

10 tips for making gift-worthy bark

• Start with excellent chocolate, preferably made with beans from South America or Madagascar. For dark chocolate, choose 60% to 75% cacao.

• Be sure no stray water gets into the melting chocolate, or it will seize and become grainy.

• Spread the melted chocolate thinly. Thin bark breaks into attractive shards and is easy to eat.

• For toppings, consider color and texture as well as flavor. A little crunch, whether from a nut or whole spice, is nice.

• Work quickly to add toppings before the chocolate begins to set.

• Scatter toppings with abandon—the more organic looking, the better.

• Store the bark in a cool (between 60°F and 65°F) room as it sets. The temperature encourages the edges to retreat and curl, which looks really pretty.

• Once the topping is on, leave the bark alone for at least 12 hours. If you fiddle with it too soon, you may leave fingerprints or scratches on the chocolate.

• Don’t refrigerate chocolate bark. Condensation will occur when you take it out. When the water evaporates, dissolved sugar remains on the surface of the chocolate, leaving an unpleasant residue known as sugar bloom.

• Use cellophane or food-grade tissue to package bark for gift-giving. A mix of a few flavors is especially nice.

Sprinkle on the Toppings:The more wild the scattering, the more fun the bark looks. To get the toppings to stick, lightly press on them. Then let the bark sit for at least 12 hours before breaking it into pieces.