Dark Chocolate Bark with Dried Cherries, Apples and Pistachios

Lured by November warmth, deepening hues of foliage, and new sights to see, we have been exploring parks around our neighborhood.



We're beyond belief spoiled.





Our favorite park so far has to be Pastorius in Chestnut Hill. If live in Philly and own a dog, or just live in Philly, you need to check out this gorgeous space before snow hits the ground.



In preparation for the holiday season, I've been trying to brainstorm reasonable gifts for neighbors. Holiday dark chocolate bark seems the perfect choice...impressive-looking, decadent and seasonal.



Grab a few bars of your favorite dark chocolate (I hit my local Trader Joes and picked up the Dark Chocolate One Pounder). Melt the chocolate down using a double boiler and spread evenly across a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let cool for several minutes and proceed to sprinkle with any toppings you see fit. I went with dried apples, dried cranberries and pistachios (all from Trader Joes as well). Let cool completely and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.



Once completely cooled, go ahead and break the chocolate apart. Be careful, the chocolate melts quickly when touched, so don't spend too much time worrying about the perfect breaks or if you're a perfectionist, use a wooden utensil.



Once it's all broken up, throw back in the refrigerator to firm up again.



And finally, dress it up and package for friends. I'll be perusing thrift stores over the next few weeks for antique tins to line with parchment or brown tissue paper and wrap a red ribbon and some bakers twine around for a near-effortless holiday treat.