Chocolate Bark

This is so good and astonishingly easy to make, it's a wonder I don't make this more often.

(Just a second while I loosen the buttons on my waistband.)

Oh yea, that's why I don't make it more often.

It does make a quick and beautiful gift for any occasion though.

Use a good quality chocolate, but that doesn't necessarily mean it has to be expensive. I recently discovered a delicious bittersweet chocolate at Trader Joe's that's a real bargain. It's called "Pound Plus," because it weights 17.6 ounces, and it costs only $3.99. You can use milk chocolate if you prefer, or even white chocolate if you're so inclined. I sprinkled chopped-up apricots, dried cranberries and almonds on top, but the choice is limited only by your imagination. I added a bit of orange oil to the chocolate to give it a more complex flavor, but that's completely optional.

The recipe is this easy:

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Melt chocolate on top of a double boiler and add a quarter teaspoon of orange oil (NOT orange extract). Spread with a spatula over the parchment. Gently press chopped almonds, apricots and dried cranberries on the surface. Place in a cool room or in the refrigerator until chocolate has hardened. Cut into chunks with a heavy knife.