Christmas Bark

 

I love to make this Christmas Bark every year for the holidays.  It’s just so festive looking with the red cranberries and the green pistachios.  You can find that peppermint bark everywhere during the holidays, I prefer this version, it’s a little different, somewhat unexpected.  Plus, it makes me feel like I’m eating something kinda good for me, with the dark chocolate and nuts.  Kinda. 

This treat is very easy to make which means there is still time to whip up a batch to bring as a hostess gift to your New Year’s Eve party.  You might want to double this recipe, you will want to keep some for yourself!

Happy New Year everyone!  

Here’s what you will need to make approximately 10 medium sized pieces…

 

4 oz semi-sweet chocolate

4 oz bittersweet chocolate 

2-3 oz white chocolate

dried cranberries (a handful)

pistachios, shelled and roughly chopped (a handful)

dried apricots, rough chopped (a handful)

 

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Break up all the chocolate into small pieces and place approximately 3 oz of the semi-sweet chocolate and 3 oz of the bittersweet chocolate in a microwave safe bowl.  Keep the white chocolate separate for later use.  Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring with a spatula after each 30 seconds, until 90% melted.  Remove bowl from microwave and stir until all the chocolate has melted. 

Immediately add the remaining semi-sweet and bittersweet chocolate pieces to the bowl and stir until melted.  This is my lazy man’s way of tempering chocolate.  I have absolutely no patience for dealing with a candy thermometer, etc.

Ok, your dark chocolate is done.  In another microwave safe bowl do the same process with the white chocolate.

While the white chocolate is melting pour the dark chocolate onto the parchment lined baking sheet.  With an offset spatula spread out the chocolate to an even thickness of your choice.  You can see from the above photo the thickness I prefer.

Next, take the melted white chocolate and drizzle it all over the dark chocolate with a spoon.  You can add as much or as little of the white chocolate as you want.  With the edge of a sharp knife, swirl the chocolate.  Next sprinkle the dried cranberries, pistachios and dried apricots all over the chocolate, all the way to the edges.  Again, you can add as much or as little as you want.  Ever so slightly press some of the larger pieces into the still liquid chocolate.

 

 

Place the baking tray into the fridge until the chocolate is firm, approximately 30 minutes, although this really depends on how thick you made your bark.  Once firm, with your hands, break  the chocolate into large chunks.

Store in refrigerator until just ready to eat.

Rugelach

 

It’s Christmas Cookie time! 

These rugelach have made an appearance in my house every Christmas for the past 5 or so years.  I love them.  Everyone loves them.  They are made with…cream cheese dough.  What’s not to love?! 

I will admit, these cookies are a labor of love.  Slightly time consuming and you need to exhibit a fair amount of patience, first allowing the dough to chill, gently rolling each little cookie up, then waiting for the rolled up cookies to chill for 30 minutes prior to baking.  In general I don’t have all that much patience, particularly if it involves waiting to eat cookies, but oh, is it worth it.  Trust me.  Just the smell of these baking will rock your world.

Here’s what you will need to make 4 dozen cookies…

 

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 9 tablespoons

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3/4 cup raisins

1 cup walnuts, finely chopped

1/2 cup apricot preserves, pureed in a food processor (I also love blackberry)

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cream the cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light.  Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, salt and vanilla.  With mixer on low add the flour and mix until just combined.  Dump the dough out onto a well floured board and roll it into a ball.  Cut the ball in quarters, flatten each quarter slightly then wrap each piece in plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour, up to a few days.

To make the filling:  combine 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar, brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, raisins and walnuts.  (I always have some leftover filling at the end).

On a well floured board, roll each ball of dough into a 9 inch circle.  Spread the dough with about 2 tablespoons of preserves (all the way to the edge) and sprinkle with approximately 1/2 cup of the filling.  There should only be a thin layer of preserves to act as the ‘glue’.  Resist the temptation to put too much preserves or filling on the dough.  Press the filling lightly into the dough.  Cut the circle into 12 equal wedges, first cutting the whole circle in quarters, then each quarter into thirds.  At this point I look at each triangle and determine if any of them are a bit short on nuts or raisins.  If so, I just add what is needed.  Starting with the wide edge, roll up each wedge.  Place rolled up cookies, points tucked under, on baking sheet.  Chill for 30 minutes.

Brush each cookie with the egg wash.  Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on the cookies.  Bake for 18 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.  Place cookies on a wire rack to cool before devouring them.

Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten.