My Dear Readers, I would love to send you each a Christmas gift if I could, for kindly sharing this space with me for so long. Instead, I will have to be content with giving you a French recipe, perfect for Christmas as it takes 5 minutes to make. I don’t know about you, but I appreciate anything special that I can whip up in a French minute, this time of year.
I know that chocolate bark is not exclusive to France, but it certainly is very prevalent here. Any good chocolatier worth his sea salt will have a beautiful display of chocolate bark, and this is in a country where even the tiniest town has at least one fabulous chocolatier. Photo: In the window of a choclaterie, chocolate bark spun into the form of un arbre de Noel.
In France they like to stuff their chocolate bark with lots of good things: you often see it with pistachios, almonds, cashews, golden raisins, dried cranberries, candied orange peel, and so on. It is made with dark, white, or milk chocolate.
I’ve made mine with dark chocolate and toasted pecans, for a southern twist, but you can add whatever fruit and nuts you fancy. A hint of coffee is my secret for bringing out the deep chocolate flavor, and I’ve topped it off with a sprinkle of sea salt.
Side note: Of all places, the very best chocolate bark in the world comes from Clayton Georgia, where it is made by my brother-in-law David. It is almost paper thin, delicious and unique. But he won’t share his recipe (though Lord knows I’ve tried to beat it out of him), I think because he hopes to make his fortune from it someday. And well he should!
Joyeux Noel and Bonne Année to all!
RECIPE: Southern Fried French Dark Chocolate Bark with Pecans
Photo: at our chocolaterie in Cluny, milk chocolate bark with peanuts.
- 1 pound (500 grams) good quality dark chocolate (I like Hershey’s Dark)
- 1 ½ cups lightly toasted pecans (or any combo of nuts/dried fruit)
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- sea salt
Melt the chocolate with expresso powder over a bain marie or double boiler, on very low heat (do not boil water) until completely melted.
Set aside ¼ cup of the nuts. Mix remaining nuts into the chocolate, stirring well.
Spread the chocolate on a Silpat or on parchment paper, on a baking sheet. Spread it out evenly, it should be roughly 10” square. Sprinkle with remaining nuts, pressing them lightly into chocolate. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt if desired.
Let the chocolate cool a couple of hours, until firm. Break it into pieces. Devour, and share if you can. Congratulate yourself on some healthy eating—chocolate is good for you, nuts too!
In the COMMENTS: On blasons, lots of good comments: Vagabonde collects them, Pat is painting one, and Vicky has a French one. Love it that Rachel is designing one that involves chocolate!
I learn a lot from readers, and this week that was especially true. I now have a story to go with that double-headed eagle blason that hangs on my wall. Thank you to the readers who sent information. The best answer came from an exhaustive study of the topic researched and written by a priest, and was sent by Gerard, a Dutchman living in France. Turns out this symbol has a long and colorful history, and has been used by different cultures and countries to mean different things. You can read the article here.
Favorite MOVIES: It’s the time of year when movies that the whole family can enjoy are in order. If you’re looking for a DVD to watch with all the relatives, try the poignant and funny film, The Way
Christmas Books: Books make super gifts, and of course I hope you'll remember to pick up my own book, How to Learn a New Language with a Used Brain
Photo above: In France, everything has a history and tradition. Mendiants are chocolate bark in round form, and the colors of the fruit and nuts symbolize the colors of the four monastic orders.
15 thoughts on “Barking up the Christmas Tree”
Thank you for sharing this lovely recipe, Lynn!
Lynn, thanks for sharing a quick and easy (yet healthy) holiday treat! Perfect for sharing! Merry Christmas to you!
Comment dit-on “chocolate bark” en francais? Joyeux Noel!
Thank you for the wonderful recipe! What a great thing to make and have on hand for a hostess gift or if a neighbor pops in with an unexpected Christmas gift for you.
Your brother-in-law is in Clayton, GA? I’m just down the road from Clayton in Athens. Is his chocolate bark for sale?
Thank you again for sharing – I’ll be making chocolate bark tomorrow!
BTW . . . I’m the one with the French blason.
This looks easy. Thanks.
How about a raclette and all it’s accoutrements?
What a perfect gift idea for this lovely season. Thank you.
The list of books excellent as well.
Joyeux Noel to you and Ron. Much happiness, love, light and book sales in 2014!
Good question, Ken! Chocolate bark is “chocolat aux écorces de fruits confits”.
Lynn,your Friday blog (and book!)are wonderful gifts to us all year!
These recipes(this one especially)are literally BETTER than the
proverbial icing on the cake!Wow!
Thank you!
Blessings to you and your family,and to all the extended family members of SFF.
Looks like a wonderful but yet easy recipe Lynn. Thank you & a very Merry Christmas dearest lady!
it’s seems delicious…. Thank you for this idea,
I wish you merry Christmas.
Patricia
Joyeux Noël Lynn and Bloggers may you and Ron have a wonderful Christmas and thank you very much for all your recipes and bringing a little bit of France into our lives.This year my family are joining us in Framce to celebrate the traditional winter lunch a vast contrast to the way we in Australia celebrate a hot Christmas.We have seafood consisting of Australian Tiger prawns ,Tasmanian oysters ,Victorian scollops and Western Australian Lobster and salads.After this hearty lunch I make an ice cream Berry cake ,the afternoon is spent on the beach or just hanging around as it’s normally very hot.May next year bring good health and lots more of your fantastic blog of France.
Thank you for this amazing recipe, love dark chocolat!!!!
Have a very Merry Christmas and an even better New Year!!!
XOXOXOX Ido
Lynn,
Thank you very much for including my book “A French Opportunity” in your book recommendations. I wanted to also mention that I enjoyed the movie “The Way” and suggest a movie we saw recently titled “Dear Frankie” Thanks also for the French Chocolate Bark recipe. I’m all for easy recipes!
Wonderful recipe, Lynn. I’m not usually a sweets maker, but this one looks like a winner. I may even try it out while I wait for the rest of my family to arrive for Christmas dinner. I recommend “The Way” to many of my friends–especially those interested in France. We’ve traveled on several occasions to St. Jean Pied de Ports where the main character starts his journey. It is smack dab in yet another stunning area of France. My two oldest sons are venturing on their own to France in the spring, which delights me–the older for the first time, the younger for the first time alone. I know they’ll have a wonderful trip and I admire their tenacious work using Duolingo practicing French. My husband and I are planning to travel back to the south taking a group for two weeks and traveling on our own for two more–perhaps heading up your way. More on that at another time. I wish you and your husband a wonderful Christmas. And thanks for the book plug.
Chris
Hi Lynn,
I’m the husband Jim that Debbie talks about in her blog “A French Opportunity” and the book also, of course. I just wanted to say thank you for including us in your book line-up. We always enjoy reading your posts and trying some of the recipes. Who knows? Maybe we will be in your “neck of the woods” someday to visit. Take care and give my best to Ron. Tell him that I know what it’s like to be married to a Southern blogger!