Chocolate bark is a lovely edible gift for friends, neighbors, and coworkers, so go ahead and make several batches. Be sure to store your bark in a controlled environment to avoid a sticky situation.
By Natural Gourmet Institute
It’s the perfect time of year to slow down, reconnect and celebrate with family, friends, and coworkers. It is also a time of sugary treats, which leave us in need of a detox come January. Don’t forsake tradition! Instead, take loved holiday treats and turn them a bit healthier with cleaner, plant-based, and minimally processed ingredients. 
NYC’s Natural Gourmet Institute is the leading health-supportive culinary school that combines professional culinary technique with science-based nutrition. For the holiday season, they created a beautiful e-cookbook of favorite holiday sweets and new avant-garde desserts, so there is something in it for everyone. Click the image to download Healthier Holiday Desserts, like this Loaded Orange and Nut Chocolate Bark, for free. Let’s celebrate!
- 1 thin-skinned orange
- ¾ cup shelled pistachios, toasted,
- cooled and roughly chopped
- ¼ cup hazelnuts, toasted, cooled,
- skinned and roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted & cooled
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
- and cooled
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 cardamom pod, ground finely
- and sifted
- 12 ounces dark tempered chocolate
- (65% cacao content)
- 2 teaspoons flaky sea salt
- Special equipment:
- Candy thermometer
- Preheat oven to 150ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Thinly slice orange widthwise and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for
- -3 hours until dry, but slightly sticky. Remove from oven and let cool.
- When cool enough to handle, break orange slices into shards; set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss together nuts, seeds and orange zest to thoroughly
- combine. Place in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Set aside.
- Melt chocolate in a double boiler until it reaches 88-90°F and pour over nut
- mixture to coat completely.
- When chocolate is semi-cool but still tacky, sprinkle surface with sea salt and
- orange shards.
- Place in a cool area of your kitchen or refrigerate until bark cools completely,
- and break up into bite-size pieces.
