Dark Chocolate Espresso Almond Sea Salt Bark

Dark Chocolate Espresso Almond Sea Salt Bark is simple to make and has a wow factor that's off the chart. I know the title of this treat is extra long but every single component really must be acknowledged because each one is essential in making it taste so good.

The only secret to making it is to use the best ingredients you can buy. My preference is Belgian Callebaut Dark Chocolate, Stumptown Espresso Beans and sea salt and slivered almonds from the bulk bin of my neighborhood grocery store. The bark is also quick to make, taking just about 30 minutes from start to finish and is a great homemade gift for family and friends this holiday season. It is addictive though, so be prepared to share the recipe or get asked to make it on a regular basis.

Here's the recipe:

Dark Chocolate Espresso Almond Sea Salt Bark
1/2 pound dark chocolate, in chip form or roughly chopped
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup espresso beans
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 8 minutes or until browned and fragrant. These go from toasted to burned very quickly so keep an eye on them. Remove them from the oven and set aside.

Put the espresso beans in a plastic bag and lightly crush them with a rolling pin. Set them aside.

Prepare a sheetpan by lining it with a piece of parchment paper. Set it aside.

Measure out 1/3 cup of the chocolate and reserve it for later. Put the remaining chocolate in a double boiler set over low heat. Slowly melt the chocolate keeping and eye on it and stirring occasionally until the mixture is smooth. When the chocolate is completely melted, remove it from the heat and stir in the 1/3 cup of reserved chocolate and keep stirring until it too melts.  This last step might seem strange but it's called "the seeding method" and it's one way to temper the melted chocolate. The tempered chocolate you reserved and add will enhance the crystallization process of the melted chocolate.

After all the chocolate is melted, pour it onto the parchment-lined pan and gently spread it out to 1/4-inch thick using a spatula. Lift and gently tap the pan on the counter to help the chocolate settle into place.

Immediately sprinkle on the toasted slivered almonds, crushed espresso beans and sea salt. Refrigerate the bark uncovered until it completely hardens. Break the bark into rough pieces to serve.

Cherry Almond Cream Cake

This cherry almond cream cake is pretty and elegant which is why it's perfect for my friend Linda's birthday.

The flavors of cherry and almond go so well together and are enhanced even more by the creamy vanilla buttercream.

The buttercream is piped in a rose pattern and is a simple design element that adds lots of texture and interest.  I added the tiniest drop of pink coloring to tint the frosting and and added a few fresh ripe cherries to decorate the top of the cake.

Almond Cake
(makes 3 layers)
3/4 cup butter, unsalted
2 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
3/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease, flour and line with parchment paper three round 8 -inch cake pans.

Greasing and flouring the cake pans as well as adding a parchment round to the bottoms will ensure that your cakes won't stick.

Beat the butter with the almond extract. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, milk and yogurt or sour cream.

Add the baking powder and salt and mix. Finally, add the flour and beat until thoroughly combined.

Pour the batter evenly into the three cake pans and bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until done and toothpick inserted comes out clean.


Cherry Filling
1 pound (16 ounces) bag frozen cherries
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Heat the frozen cherries, sugar and almond extract in a saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Use a potato masher to smash them and break them apart. Keep a watch over them and periodically give them a stir.

In a small bowl whisk together the cream and cornstarch. When the cherry  mixture is simmering, add the cream mixture and whisk constantly over medium heat for two to three minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and let cool completely before using.

Remove the filling from the heat and let it cool completely before using.

Vanilla Cream Buttercream
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons vanilla
3 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
one tiny drop of pink coloring


*Note: The frosting base can be made a day in advance since it needs to cool to room temperature before the butter is added.

In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the milk and half of the sugar until simmering.

In the meantime, in a small bowl combine the cream, the other half of the sugar and cornstarch. Mix well with a whisk.

When the milk is simmering,  pour about half of it into the cream mixture and whisk well. Add it back to the milk in the saucepan and heat, stirring constantly until the mixture becomes very thick.

Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla. Put the mixture into a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the mixture cool completely.

When the buttercream base is cool, transfer it to a mixer and whip until smooth, add the butter a tablespoon at a time and whip until light and fluffy.  Add the tiny drop of pink coloring and whip again.

Just a tiny drop of pink food coloring is all you need.

To Assemble:
Place one cooled cake layer on a cake plate. Top with 1/2 of the cherry filling. Add a layer of buttercream.

Add the second cooled cake layer and top with the remaining cherry filling and another layer of buttercream.

The second layer just needs a coating of buttercream before it's ready for the final cake layer.

Add the final layer and add a thin coat of buttercream to the entire cake to seal in the cherry filling.
This coat is called a crumb coat and won't look pretty, but don't worry. Put the cake in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to firm up before adding more buttercream.

The first layer of buttercream isn't so pretty but it seals in the cherry filling.

Remove the cake from the refrigerator and add another thin coat of buttercream to the entire cake to better cover where the cherry filling is showing through.

Looking much better after a second coat of buttercream. Now it's ready for the roses.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a #30 Wilton star tip with buttercream and pipe roses over the entire cake starting at the bottom and working up to the top of the cake. Don't overfill your piping bag. It's better to just refill it a few times.

To form a rose just go around in a circle to form the rose and end in the center. It's surprisingly easy.

Go around the cake and fill in any open spaces with buttercream.

There's a blank spot on the top edge of the cake.

Filled in and looking much better.

Top your cake with a few stemmed fresh cherries.

Apricot and Almond Jalousie

Consider making an Apricot and Almond Jalousie the next time you want to impress but need a quick dessert.

Jalousie means "shutter" in French and that's why the slats in this dessert's puff pastry topping resemble the shutters outside a window.

This dessert comes together really fast. All you need is ready-made puff pastry (Look for it in the freezer section of your grocery store. It's usually next to the phyllo dough), some apricot preserves, sugar, sliced almonds and a little beaten egg. Oh, and some whipped cream isn't necessary but a nice accompaniment.

You could also change the recipe easily by using other flavors of preserves. Cherry and almond go very well together.

Don't you love it when the results make something look more difficult than it is —

C'est magnifique!

Apricot and Almond Jalousie
(Serves 4)
1/2 pound ready-made puff pastry, thawed (follow directions on package)
6 tablespoons apricot preserves
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
1 egg, beaten
Whipped cream to serve (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured board and cut into a 12-inch square. Cut in half to make two rectangles.

Place one piece of pastry on a wetted baking sheet and brush all around the edges with the beaten egg. Spread over the apricot preserves.

Fold the remaining rectangle in half lengthwise and cut about eight diagonal slits from the center fold to within about 1/2 inch of the edge all the way along.

Unfold the pastry and place it on top of the preserve-covered pastry on the baking sheet, matching each edge carefully to the base. Press the pastry edges together and using your fingers crimp them.

Brush the pastry top with a little water and sprinkle evenly with the sugar and sliced almonds.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until risen and golden brown.

Remove the jalousie from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Serve with whipped cream.