Chocolate Cherry And Macadamia Bark Recipes

3 CHOCOLATE CHERRY BARK

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large saute pan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves and is bubbly. Add the pecans. Season the pecans with salt, cayenne, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar starts to caramelize and coat the pecans evenly. Cook for about 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and spread the pecans over a parchment lined baking sheet. Place the pan in the oven and roast the pecans for about 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and cool completely. Break the pecans into small pieces.
• Fill 3 small saucepans halfway up the pan with water. Place the pans over medium heat and bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. In three separate mixing bowls, add each type of chocolate into the individual bowls. Place the bowls over the saucepans. After about 2 minutes over the heat, the chocolate will start to melt. Stir each chocolate until totally melted. Remove the chocolate from the heat and stir 1 tablespoon of butter into each bowl of chocolate. Pour each type of chocolate over the marble or a large parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the pecans and cherries over the chocolates. Using a metal spatula, spread the mixture out evenly back and forth to about 1/4-inch thick. Either place the marble in the refrigerator or allow to sit out until set, about a couple of hours. Break the bark into medium pieces and serve.

DRIED CHERRY, MACADAMIA AND WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Steps:

• Pulse the oats in a food processor until some of it is fine and some of it is still very coarse. Dump the oats into a medium bowl and whisk in the flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, beat the butter and the sugars with a mixer at medium speed until very light, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Beat in the vanilla.
• At low speed, add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Using a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon, fold in the cherries, nuts and white chocolate chips. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least 24 hours and up to 48 hours.
• Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
• Roll about 2 teaspoons of dough into balls and place them on the lined baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space between them.
• Bake until the cookies are golden brown around the edges and the centers are pale golden and still soft, about 9 minutes. Let cool on wire racks for about 10 minutes, then transfer the cookies with a spatula to the racks to cool completely (or for as long as you can wait!).

WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT BARK

Steps:

• Line a 13 by 9-inch cookie sheet with waxed paper, allowing 2 inches of paper to hang over sides. Melt all but 1/4 cup of semisweet chocolate morsels in microwave on medium power for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, or until smooth. Pour chocolate onto prepared sheet and spread to cover entire surface and form 1 even layer. Melt all but 1/4 cup of white chips in microwave on medium power for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, or until smooth. Drizzle melted white chocolate over semisweet chocolate layer. Using a toothpick or skewer, swirl the melted chocolates together, creating a marbled effect.
• Place nuts in a plastic bag and crush, using a rolling pin. Sprinkle chocolate with nuts and remaining semisweet and white morsels. Gently press toppings into melted chocolates. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until chocolate is firm. Remove waxed paper from chocolate. Cut or break chocolate into bite-size pieces.

CHOCOLATE, CHERRY, AND MACADAMIA BARK

Steps:

• Butter a baking sheet and line with waxed paper. Combine the chocolates in the top pan of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl. Place over (not touching) barely simmering water and heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Stir 1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz/75 g) of the macadamias and 1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz/75 g) of the cherries into the melted chocolate, then pour onto the prepared baking sheet, tilting to spread slightly. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup (1 1/2 oz/45 g) each of the nuts and cherries. Refrigerate the candy, uncovered, until firm, about 1 hour.
• Gently peel the candy from the waxed paper. Then, holding the candy with the waxed paper (to prevent fingerprints), break the chocolate into large, irregular pieces. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
• About macadamias
• These rich nuts originated in Australia, but are now widely grown in Hawaii. Smooth, off-white, and round, macadamia nuts resemble large chickpeas (garbanzo beans). Oil rich, they add crunch and buttery flavor to candies and baked goods.