Jan 25, 2012

cookbook: Dark Chocolate Fruit & Nuts Cluster

Dark Chocolate.

Craisins.

Almonds.

Pomegranates.

......you can thank me later.

I'd be willing to bet you that this is actually semi-good for you.  (semi is the key word here)  You should be eating fruits and nuts on a daily basis- and everyone knows that dark chocolate does the heart good.  one day i was dreaming up desserts (doesn't everyone?!)  and i started thinking about chocolate and valentine's day and sweet little presents- not necessarily in that order.  then i remembered these yummy chocolate bars that my mom loves and i figured why not try making these.  It's super easy and as with anything chocolate, super versatile.  Don't have one ingredient?  Substitute something else or simply omit it completely.  

You always knew chocolate was your best friend.

 Lets talk about pomegranates for a minute.  They're in season right now and they taste great.  The only problem is peeling them without looking like you've just committed murder.  Here's a little tip on peeling pomegranates:  Fill a large bowl up with water and peel the pomegranate while it's submerged under water.  Trust me, you'll save plenty of shirts this way.

Melt your chocolate and add a little bit of vegetable/canola oil to thin it up a bit.  About 1 teaspoon is enough.  Rough chop your almonds and then throw all of the ingredients into your chocolate and mix.


 Next, line your counter or baking pan with wax paper and drop clusters of chocolate onto the sheet.  If you're using a baking pan, you can pop it into the refrigerator to chill and harden a bit faster.  This step isn't completely necessary because chocolate tends to harden quickly.

 The pomegranate bursts in your mouth, leaving you with chocolate fruit ecstasy.  It's pretty awesome.  And did I mention these are kind of awesome for gift-giving.  Just sayin'.

I didn't bother to measure  any of my ingredients because I like to work as I go.  A little bit of this and a tad more of that is usually my approach.  But I understand some people like to be prepared, so here are my *rough* estimates.

5 oz. Chocolate
2 oz. Craisins
2.oz Almonds
1 Pomegranate

8 comments:

  1. I must try this recipe, it looks so good! You can't go wrong mixing fruit and chocolate. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. Looks great. Love love love pomagranates.


    Erika

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  3. Oh my gosh. This looks absolutely amazing. My sister is really into baking and creating new yummy things, so I am definitely sending your page over to her so she can make a batch! Thanks so much for sharing xx

    http://fatal-fashion.blogspot.com

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  4. Ah, this is the best kind of recipe. No measuring or fussing required! I love the pomegranate part - yumMMm.

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  5. They look beautifuland appetising and the I remember it's pomegranate. I am totally confused by this sweet treat. How would you comfortably et these juicy morsels inside chocolate when need to be spitting out the seeds imbedded in the chocolate???

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    Replies
    1. Hi Anon! The almonds give the whole thing a bit of a crunch, so the seeds in the pomegranates aren't noticeable at all. Hope that helps!

      Nuha

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Thanks for stopping by, I'd love to hear from you! XOXO

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