Swirled Almond Apricot Bark Recipes

CRANBERRY-ALMOND-APRICOT BARK

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with a sheet of waxed paper.
• Place chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes.
• Combine cranberries, almonds, and apricots in a bowl. Add to melted chocolate and mix until well combined.
• Spread chocolate onto the prepared baking sheet to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Place baking sheet in the refrigerator until chocolate has completely hardened, about 1 hour. Break into pieces.

ALMOND BREAD WITH AN APRICOT SWIRL

Steps:

• Heat up water and milk until they are at body temperature.
• Whisk in 1 tablespoon of sugar and sprinkle yeast over mixture.
• Wait about 10 minutes, until the mixture is frothy. If it doesn't froth up it means your yeast is dead and the bread won't rise!
• While you're waiting roughly chop 100g of your apricots and ⅓ cup of your almonds (you will knead these pieces into the bread in a couple of steps. The remaining apricots and almonds will be for your filling).
• Add sugar (1 tablespoon), salt, and butter to mixture. Mix.
• Add flour and mix until the dough starts to come together into shaggy pieces.
• Dump dough onto a surface (feel free to flour the surface a bit, but I didn't have to) and knead for about 3 minutes until dough starts to come together. Incorporate your chopped almonds and apricot (I by kneading them into the bread.
• Knead for an additional 7 minutes, until dough is smooth.
• Place dough in a bowl, and cover with cling wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise for 1½-2 hours, until doubled in size.
• In the meantime, grind together 1 cup of almonds and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a food processor until it sticks together when you press it between your fingers (it won't turn to almond butter). Transfer to a bowl.
• Place 100g of your apricots in the food processor and process until its become a paste (there may be a few chunks left. Add a splash of water if you need, but the mixture shouldn't be too wet).
• Once the dough has doubled in size, remove from bowl and press the dough into a rectangle. The rectangle should be about 6 inches wide and 12 inches long.
• Spread the almond paste and apricot paste evenly over the dough.
• Roll dough tightly (along the shorter side).
• Once dough is rolled, press seam together with your fingers and place in a 9 x 5 loaf pan, seam side down. The ends of the dough should be touching the ends of the pan (see photo above).
• Cover and let rise for another 45-60 minutes, until the loaf pan is filled and the dough just crests the lip of the pan.
• About 15 minutes before the end of your second rise, preheat your oven to 350F.
• Bake for about 45 minutes, until golden brown and hollow sounding when you knock on the bottom.
• Let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

APRICOT ALMOND CHOCOLATE BARK

Steps:

• Line a 13"x9" rimmed baking sheet with a smooth sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil.
• In large bowl, melt chocolate carefully.
• Add 1 cup chopped almonds to chocolate, & stir to combine.
• Pour chocolate mixture onto prepared baking sheet, & spread with spatula or spoon until there is an even, thin layer.
• While chocolate is still wet, sprinkle remaining almonds & all the apricots over top of chocolate, pressing down gently to embed them in the chocolate.
• Place in refrigerator to set, about 10 minutes.
• Once set, break bark into uneven pieces & serve.
• If chocolate has not been tempered, keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

SWIRLED ALMOND-APRICOT BARK

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with foil, shiny-side up; smooth out the creases. Make sure all your tools are dry.
• Chop the bittersweet and white chocolate into 1/2-inch pieces with a large knife. Place all but 1/2 cup of the bittersweet chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 15 seconds, then stir with a rubber spatula. Continue microwaving and stirring at 15-second intervals until melted, about 3 minutes total. Immediately add the reserved chopped bittersweet chocolate to the bowl; stir vigorously until melted and shiny. Repeat with the white chocolate in a separate bowl. Don't worry if there are a few small unmelted pieces.
• Pour the 2 chocolates side by side onto the prepared baking sheet; use the rubber spatula to swirl them together and spread into a 10-to-12-inch circle, about 1/4 inch thick.
• Press the almonds and apricots into the chocolate, arranging them so each bite has a mix of flavors and textures. Sprinkle with fennel seeds. Let the bark harden completely at room temperature, about 1 hour. (If the room is warm, you may need to freeze the bark for a few minutes.) Break into pieces and store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks.

FROZEN HALLOWEEN YOGURT BARK

Steps:

• Mix 2 cups plain Greek yogurt with 1/4 cup honey and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, then spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet until it's about 1/4 inch thick. Top with black sesame seeds, chocolate-covered sunflower seeds or mini chocolate chips and chopped candied orange peel. Freeze until firm, then break into pieces.