Fudgy Milk Chocolate Bark with Cranberries and Almonds. Vegan glutenfree recipe

Hubbs is on his 3 week home vacation! So this month is going to be all short and sweet posts, some with approximate measurements. Like todays post.:). Usually my approximations are pretty close to the real measurement.
As we all know, till about a year back, I was not fond of chocolate. The only chocolate I ate while growing up occasionally was milk chocolate. You couldnt get me to eat dark bitter chocolate any which way. My sister was a chocolate fan, again only soft milk chocolate though. And she was also the reason behind the occasional availability of chocolate at our home. (Chocolate was a pricey bribe item used to get kids to do stuff back then ;))
Of course, this year I have been on a Chocolate roll , esp dark delicious good chocolate. But this creation is dedicated to my lil sister. A milky soft chocolate creation.



This fudgy chocolate bark melts in your mouth like a silky delicious smooth ummmmmm. It is insane I tell ya. The cocoa butter and coconut cream, makes it so fudgy and soft, that the bark will start to melt lightly in your hands if you hold it too long. One more reason to put the whole piece in your mouth and not be able to speak for the next 5 minutes or lick your finger later ;)  You can make it into thick fudge squares too.
You can get pure food grade Cocoa butter on Amazon or health food stores like Iherb.com 

Happy holidays!
Some other deliciously bark good options
Kris's Dark chocolate super food bark sweetened with dates
White Chocolate Bark with Cranberries and Orange zest  - Use Maple/agave or Vegan Bee-free Honee instead of Honey in this recipe.



mmmmmm
mmm.. Sorrrryyy, cannot speak with my mouth shut.



Fudgy Chocolate Bark with dried Cranberries and Almonds
Allergy Information: Gluten, soy, corn, yeast, dairy, egg free. Can be made nut free
Makes about a 8 by 10 inch  1/4 inch thick bark 

Ingredients: These are rough estimates but good ones.:)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used whole foods vegan chips)
1/2 - 3/4 cup pure Cocoa butter(more the merrier)
1/4 cup So Delicious Coconut creamer ( or cream from full fat coconut milk)
3 Tablespoons finely ground raw sugar ( or date paste of 4-5 dates or maple syrup)
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder (more for darker or less/omit for lighter)
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder(optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Toppings: Dried Cranberries, coarsely ground almonds or almond slivers

Variations: Add a Tablespoon or so Liqueur of choice, or rum extract to the chocolate mixture.
Use other chopped nuts(pistachios/cashew/walnut/pecan), sunflower or pumpkin or melon seeds, or  hemp seeds, other dried fruit like goji berries, apricots, blueberries. The possibilities are endless. Or keep the chocolate naked without any toppings.

Method:
In a pan on low heat, bring the coconut creamer/coconut milk cream to an almost boil.
(Chill a full fat coconut milk can for a few hours. Then turn it upsedie down and open it. Scoop the stiff cream from the top to use as coconut cream)
Add the rest of the ingredients and keep mixing for 1-2 minutes continuously till almost everything melts.
Take off heat and whisk for another minute.
Let it cool for 2 minutes, then whisk again for half a minute to get a smooth mixture.
Pour on parchment and spread using a spatula.
Top with dried fruit and nuts of choice.
Chill the refrigerator for half an hour.
Break into pieces and store in airtight container in a cool place. If your counter is going to be warm, then store in the refrigerator. 



These insanely delicious bark is being shared at Ricki's Wellness weekend, slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Ella's holiday potluck, Allergy Friendly wednesdays