I love Secret Recipe Club time! Each month I am assigned a blog and I get to pick any recipe I like and post about it on the 5th of the month. It’s been a wonderful way to meet other bloggers and to discover inspiring recipes. This month I was lucky enough to have Sustainable Cooking for One. Stephanie, the author of the blog, works in nutritional research and is passionate about food and sustainability. Besides wonderful recipes, Stephanie also writes thought-provoking posts like Ethical Eating: Raw Milk and Goats, Urban Ag, and Evidence-Based Supplements. And she should know – she has adorable goats! As the title of her blog suggests she focuses on cooking for one and even has a cookbook called One Bowl with even more recipes plus nutritional information and more.
As usual, it was no easy feat picking one recipe to make. But I’m a sucker for fruit, nuts, and berries so this pistachio, cherry, and chocolate recipe immediately called to me. I’m not a huge chocolate person, but something happens when dark chocolate is combined with fruit and nuts that makes it like crack to me. In particular I think that pistachio and cherry is a beautiful combination and I just couldn’t wait to enjoy it combined with chocolate. I’ve called this a bark, although the truth is it’s somewhere between a bark and a chocolate bar. Whatever you want to call it, it’s delicious and just as addictive as I imagined.
I made a few changes to Stephanie’s original recipe. First, although I love dates I didn’t realize I was out until it was too late so I omitted them. At her suggestion I used butter instead of coconut oil, dark baking chocolate instead of unsweetened, and I messed around with some of the measurements. My husband and I seriously can’t stop eating this! It’s so good! And I imagine at least a bit healthier than your typical candy bar. For a good tip on how to temper chocolate and get it nice and shiny, visit Stephanie’s post.
- 12 ounces dark baking chocolate
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup roughly chopped dried cherries
- ¼ cup roughly chopped shelled pistachios
- Melt the chocolate and butter over a double boiler or in a small bowl in the microwave, stirring often.
- Mix together the dried cherries and pistachios and spread thinly on a piece of parchment paper in a rectangle.
- Pour the melted chocolate evenly over the rectangle, fold the edges of the paper over each side and press down to remove air and distribute the chocolate.
- Refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes. Roughly break apart and serve.
- Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Linked up at Sweets for Saturday over at Sweet as Sugar Cookies
Nice, quick, easy recipe! I love dried cherries and am all for any recipe that uses them. Looks like a really nice combo of flavors – thanks for this.
Thanks! I have been on a serious dried cherry kick lately – there’s a cabbage and kohlrabi slaw with dried cherries that I just can’t get enough of. It’s also great with chocolate here.
Oh yum! I love how simple and beautiful the bark is.
Thank you Gretchen!
This looks so good, and easy to make.
Thanks Sherry! It really is 🙂
Looks delicious-great combination of flavors. Nice pick for this month’s SRC!
Thanks Susie!! It was!
Yum, this looks fantastic! Love that bitter dark chocolate with fruits and nuts – delicious! 🙂
Thank you Sara! It’s one of my favorite combos.
I love this. It really looks so good and the combination of pistaccios, cherry and chocolate sounds so tasty.
Thank you! The fruit, nuts, and chocolate go wonderful together.
what a luxurious bark! great choice 🙂
Thanks Sarah!
Katherine, I’m so glad you liked it! Beautiful photos, too!
Oh Stephanie I loved it! Such fun to have you for SRC this month 🙂
Oh I love these ingredients, dark chocolate, cherries and pistachios. Wonderful. Pinned it.
Thanks Suzi me too! 😀 Thanks for the pin!!
omg, dark chocolate, cherries and pistachios?? sounds amazing. just amazing.
I know! Glad you like it 🙂
I have been toying around with what flavors would go well with pistachio-and here is my answer! I considered dark chocolate, but the dried cherries does sound like a nice flavor blend too.
No doubt these are delicious, never had bark like this-creative recipe!
Oooh yes, dried cherries and dark chocolate go beautifully with the pistachios. Thanks Tina!
Another idea for those pistachios in my freezer…what a delicious combination!
Thanks Susie!! I love pistachios and also always have a stash in my freezer.
Fantastic combo! Very festive too, I might make these for christmas gifts this year….. or sooner, who am I kidding! Bookmarked!
I was also thinking that they’d make the perfect Christmas gift with the green pistachios and red cherries. But I’ll definitely be making it lots before next year!
Oooh, delicious! I love pistachios, and have never had them in a bark. Wonderful recipe you found!
Thanks Kiri!! I also love pistachios in just about everything and they were perfect here.
I love pistachios naked far to much to clothe them in chocolate…LOL
Hahaha I know what you mean. But they are seriously good here too 😉
This would be such a lovely gift to give to people.
I agree Lisa! I’m definitely making a batch next time I need a present.
Chocolate covered cherries with nuts! How can one not love that? This would be dangerous in my house because I see us both fighting over it. 🙂
Haha I’m right there with you MJ! What’s not to love? My husband and I managed to be very well behaved over the bark, but maybe because I promised to make more soon 😉
Katherine,what a great choice! This stuff looks fantastic and I can just imagine what a taste sensation it must be!
Thanks! It was indeed fantastic. I want to make more already!
This sounds like an addiction waiting to happen! But if it has all this dark chocolate in it, it must be healthy, right?
Haha – that’s exactly how I reasoned it Joanne 😉
This bark has my name written all over it!
I have to get on board with this secret recipe club. Sounds like so much fun! I love chocolate bark and this one looks delicious. I actually made a really similar one–
http://www.skinnymommy.com/?s=chocolate+bark
Bree I hope you do! It’s a ton of fun. I’ll have to check out your bark, thanks!
You are so evil, now I NEED to make these when I get home tonight.
No cherries, but will sub sour little organic craisins, should be so yum!
Thanks!
Haha these have that effect on people!! Craisins would be awesome here as well – that’s the great part about the recipe! Really any dried fruit or nuts can be subbed. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!
Looking at this first thing in the morning is dangerous! I’ll be craving it all day long…
Haha thanks Lori. I definitely need to whip up another batch soon 🙂
reveal day already for your group?
WOW, time is passing way too fast this year!
Loved the recipe you picked – I’ve never made “bark” before, it’s on my list of projects, though.
your use of pistachio and cherries made it so gorgeous! I wonder if dried cranberries could work? Too tart, maybe…
I know! Time really does fly. Thanks so much Sally. Bark is just about one of the easiest and most delicious things you can make. Cranberries would be great as well! Honestly any combo of dried fruits and nuts would be amazing.
What an amazing recipe! I am crazy about the pistachio cherry combination and very Passover friendly. Could be a great Seder dessert!
Thanks Judee! I wasn’t even thinking of that but you’re right – it would be an excellent Passover dessert! To make it parve (if necessary) use coconut oil as Stephanie did in the original recipe.
This is a winner! A healthy, easy, delicious candy bar. Making this one.
Thanks Monica! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
I’d lose the cherries, but I sure love the combination between dark chocolate and pistachios 🙂
This would be great with just pistachios and chocolate, or you could sub in any other dried fruit you like.
Oh, how very delicious!
Thanks Lizzy!
Beautiful colours 🙂 I love the combo too – sweet, nutty and a little bitter. YUM 😀
Thanks Nic! It’s a great combo.
This is so easy to make, and I have no reason not to try this one. I can imagine dark chocolate with the nuts and dried fruits. Looking so delicious and tempting! 🙂
It’s true Nami! There’s no excuse 😉 It doesn’t get much easier, or more tasty, than this.
this is such a quick and delicious recipe, bark is one of my favorite “snacks” and I love the combination of cherries and pistachios
Thanks Beti! It’s one of my favorites as well 🙂
That bark looks delicious. I love the colour of it. I think the pistachios give a great green colour. I like to take bark to dinner parties as a hostess gift.
Thank you! That’s such a great idea to take it as a hostess gift.
I recently made some cookies with this same flavor combination, so I know I would LOVE this bark. Wonderful SRC choice.
Ooh cookies with these ingredients would be amazing as well. Now you’ve got my wheels turning!
Chocolate with nuts and all the delicious dry fruits looks amazing! Love it!!!
Thanks Asmita!
Oh I am so loving this! can’t wait to try this soon
Thanks Shannon!
I love that flavours that go in that chocolate! looks so divine
Thank you Raymund! It really is divine.
What a great and easy way to make a delicious treat!
All my favourite ingredients! These barks look divine!
Thanks Angie! 😀
This looks delish! My Mom owns a chocolate shop and makes something really similar with cranberries instead of cherries. Also, try to swirl a little white chocolate in there for an extra little something! Congrats on FoodBuzz Top 9… I will buzz you for sure 🙂 YUM!
Thanks Beth! So cool that your mom owns a chocolate shop. Cranberries would be excellent in this as well. The swirl of white chocolate is a great idea, thanks!
This looks delicious … and congrats on making the Foodbuzz Top 9 today!
Thanks so much Kimberly!!
yummy bark! I have never made bark. Great SRC choice!
Thanks Noelle! Bark is so easy and sooo delicious 🙂
I love easy and quick recipes 🙂 this is great and if you put them in little bags I think it’ll be a great present to give friends ~ Congratulations for being Top 9 on Foodbuzz today!
Me too! And I agree, it would make a great little gift. Thanks Daisy!
LOve pistachios and the addition of dried cherries makes it that much better. However, I’d make it with milk chocolate. No idea why..but I can’t get into dark chocolate – I try and try and try. Weird! In any event gorgeous bark – fantastic SRC choice!
Milk chocolate would be amazing as well! As someone above suggested, a white chocolate drizzle would be nice in there too 😉
Some of my favorite flavors all in one spot, fabulous SRC choice and I love how easy it is to make.
If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to check out my SRC entry: Broiled Sushi.
Lisa~~
Cook Lisa Cook
Thanks Lisa!! It’s some of my favorite flavors combined as well.
dear sweet jesus that looks tasty! Thanks for sharing!
Brad
Haha thanks Brad!! 🙂
Congrats on the foodbuzz top 9! This is definitely one tasty looking delight! I love the mjix of pistachios and cherries! Delicious!
Thanks so much Jeff! Pistachios and cherries – and chocolate – are definitely a match made in heaven!
Katherine, I want you to come and live with me and cook. 🙂 I’ll do the washing up, I promise. This looks wonderful !
Haha sounds like a good deal Maureen 🙂 Thanks!!
I’m huge chocolate girl 🙂 This bark looks killer! I love the pistachios with the dried cherries, such a yummy combo!
Thanks Kristina!! I’m not always a chocolate person, but when presented like this I can’t resist.
This sounds good I am not a fan of dried cherries though do you think craisins would work?
Absolutely! You can substitute any nuts or dried fruits that you like and have available. I’ve made it with just about every combination. Dried apricots, raisins, and dates are lovely as well.