Chocolate Anise Bark

Yield: 6 pieces

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon anise seeds
• 1/3 cup dried tart cherries
• 1/3 cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup salted roasted cashews, coarsely chopped
• 6 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped

Instructions

1. Line a small baking sheet with foil and chill.
2. Finely grind anise in an electric coffee/spice grinder.
3. Stir together cherries, apricots and cashews.
4. Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a small metal bowl set over a small saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth.
5. Stir in anise and half of fruit and spoon onto center of baking sheet. Spread with a rubber spatula into a roughly 10 x 5 inch rectangle and sprinkle with remaining fruit mixture, pressing lightly to help adhere.
6. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes, then break into pieces.

Notes

Bark keeps, covered and chilled, 1 week.

Attribution

Gourmet magazine - November 2000