Valentine’s Day will be here soon, and it’s hard to imagine celebrating that special day without chocolate. You could stop by a store and purchase a box of chocolates for your sweetheart, but why not surprise your loved one with a delicious, chocolate delicacy you made yourself?
Here are two sweet treats any chocolate lover is sure to enjoy! The fudge includes chopped, dried cherries, which makes it really special. The bark is just as tasty, and it’s easy to make, too. Happy Valentine’s Day!
CHOCOLATE CHERRY SWIRLED FUDGE
2 1/2-cups sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 (5-ounce) can (2/3 cup) evaporated milk
1 (7-ounce) jar (2 cups) marshmallow creme
1 (6-ounce) package (1 cup) semisweet OR milk chocolate chips
1/3 cup chopped almonds
10 ounces almond bark or vanilla-flavored candy coating cut into pieces
1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
5 or 6 drops red food color
Line a 13-by-9-inch pan with foil so it extends over the sides of the pan. Then butter the foil.
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, butter or margarine and milk, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 3 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat. Add marshmallow creme; blend well.
Leave half the mixture in saucepan, and spoon the other half into a small bowl. Add chocolate chips to mixture in bowl, stir until smooth. Stir in almonds.
In the saucepan, add almond bark and blend until smooth. Stir dried, chopped cherries, almond extract and food color into the saucepan.
Pour chocolate mixture from bowl evenly into foil-lined pan. Then spoon cherry mixture evenly over top.
Refrigerate until firm. Remove fudge from pan by lifting foil. Remove foil from fudge.
Using a large knife, cut into squares. Store in refrigerator. Makes about 48 squares.
SWEET AND SALTY PECAN BARK
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
3 (4-ounces) bittersweet chocolate baking bars
3 (4-ounces) white chocolate baking bars
1 teaspoon coarse salt (or 3/4-teaspoon Kosher salt)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes until toasted.
Line a 17-by-12-inch jelly-roll pan with waxed paper. Break each chocolate bar into 8 pieces and arrange in a checkerboard pattern in jelly-roll pan, alternating dark and white chocolate.
Bake at 225 degrees for 5 minutes or just until chocolate melts. Remove to a wire rack and using a wooden toothpick, swirl chocolate into marble pattern.
Sprinkle with pecans and salt evenly. Chill 1 hour or until firm.
Break into pieces and store in airtight-container in fridge. Keeps up to 1 month in the fridge.
Brotherton offers website readers one stellar recipe a week in the “My Leader Yummy” feature. Looking for a recipe you can’t find? Email me at kbrotherton42@gmail.com and I’ll see if I have it.
