The Well-Seasoned Private Chef | Catherine Carpenter
Mendiant, (French word for ‘mendicant’, meaning beggar in English) were traditional French Christmas confections. There was a theme of the beggar metaphorically relying on the handout of the candy, pointing also to religious orders who relied on alms to survive. The nuts and fruits added were not only visually appealing, but represented the four mendicant or monastic orders, each ingredient referring to the color of the monastic robes of Augustinians (raisons), Carmelites (hazelnuts), Dominicans (almonds), and Franciscans (dried figs).
The Well-Seasoned Private Chef
Today’s Christmas Bark, the base ingredient being dark chocolate, may have a wider variety of added layers and morsels ranging from: shattered peppermint, candies and drizzles; toffee, Saltine crackers and pretzels; grahams crackers and marshmallows; to nuts and dried fruit. The options are endless- creative license to the maker! These may become your favorite holiday treat-making.
Mendiants are made into large slabs and broken down into smaller pieces (bark). The final products are edible decorated jewels — eye candy for holiday homes, tables, and platters abound.
A Lucious Landscape: Dark Chocolate Fruit Nut Bark Recipe
INGREDIENTS
14 oz bittersweet chocolate
Chopped 1 tsp finely grated orange zest (optional)
1 cup salty Marcona Almonds (or other toasted nut of choice)
1 cup giant dried Bing Cherries and Golden Raisons (or other dried fruit of choice)
Flaky sea salt for sprinkling sparingly at the end
RECIPE PREPARATION
- Plan recipe by starting with your favorite chocolate, suggested dark chocolate, but ranging from dark to white. The higher the quality the finer the end product. Plan additions (in our case we are using nuts and dried fruit with an occasional bit of zest just for color).
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper (or preferred silicon mat).
- Melt and temper the chocolate over a lightly simmering double boiler. I put a metal bowl over a pot filled with one or two inches of water and melt chocolate in the metal bowl (Or place in microwave for 30 second bursts, gently stirring between until the melted chocolate is completely melted and consistent. Do not overheat the chocolate. I never use a thermometer and it’s not necessary unless you just want to. Also be careful not to let steam from the double boiler get into the chocolate or drop water into the chocolate as it could cause ‘ghosting’ on the chocolate after it dries. *SEE TEMPERING BELOW for detailed tempering.
- With an offset spatula immediately while chocolate is still warm and melted, spread chocolate onto prepared baking sheet, bringing out to the edges of the sheet. Immediately before the chocolate starts to set, sprinkle and arrange artfully the nuts, raisons, dried fruit, zest (optional) and/or any other delights of your choosing. Lastly, sparingly sprinkle flaky sea salt here and there, being careful not to over-salt, for the occasional burst of salty flavor.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until chocolate is set.
- Break into random sized pieces by hand OR cut into precise planned shapes with a knife. It’s important that the chocolate is set enough for the shapes to be more successful.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature until it is time to arrange bark artfully in your favorite footed crystal candy bowl or on festive holiday platter. This can be made up until a week in advance of eating.
*HOW TO TEMPER CHOCOLATE
Finely chop the chocolate. In general, 1-1/2 to 2 pounds is an ideal size to work with. It is more difficult to control the temperature with smaller or larger amounts. Place 2/3 of the chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water. If you don’t have one, put a metal bowl atop a pan of water. In either case, be sure the water does not touch the bottom of the metal above it.
Place a candy thermometer into the chocolate. The temperature should not exceed 120°F for dark chocolate or 105°F for milk and white chocolate. Stir frequently with a spatula. When the chocolate is fully melted, remove bowl from heat and wipe condensation from the bottom and sides. Put a lid on the bottom pan so the water remains simmering.
Stir in the remaining chocolate a bit at a time, allowing it to thoroughly melt before adding more. Let the chocolate cool to 82°F. If it is warmer, keep stirring it until the temperature lowers. If it is cooler, begin reheating (see next step). When the chocolate is 82°F, place it over simmering water. For dark chocolate, heat to 88°F to 91°F.
For milk chocolate and white chocolate, heat to 85°F to 87°F. Remove bowl from heat. Spread a small spoonful of the chocolate on a piece of wax paper. If it dries quickly with a glossy finish and no streaks, it is in temper. If it is dull with streaks, you need to re-temper it, beginning with How To Temper Chocolate Step 2. Immediately proceed to Preparation Step 4 and add the inclusions. Tempered chocolate must be used before it cools and sets. Otherwise, you need to re-temper it.