Today a recipe. I’ve been trying to post this for days; finally, a long night of sitting in the tow truck later, here it is.  But first a disclaimer: I know chocolate bark is often more of a Christmas treat, but, surprisingly, this still tastes quite good even though it’s midJanuary. To be a typical food blogger I’d have to tell you how dark and depressing January is (although I actually don’t even think it is) and that you really deserve to treat yourself to this decadent snack to get you through this latest phase of this pandemic. (you actually do.) Consider yourself told, if you wish to be. 

Espresso Salted Caramel Cranberry White Chocolate  Decadence 

Vague Ingredient List 

•White chocolate I buy the cheapest bulkest white chocolate available at whichever store I am shopping at. 

•Salted Caramel or Caramel Sauce I use this recipe

, but any salted caramel sauce will work. See note below to find out more about this salted caramel sauce. 

•Dried Cranberries I dry my own very painstakingly in my oven, but any dried cranberries will work.

•Espresso powder I don’t know anything about espresso powders. The one I have is mass produced and available at superstore. 

Even More Vague Directions

•Melt white chocolate. I am a double boiler person, though for some of you more professional and patient cooks, a microwave would probably work well. I am the worst chocolate melter in history probably, so I usually end up stirring a dash of cream into my chocolate to make it smooth. 

•Spread chocolate in a thin layer over parchment paper. 

•Drizzle salted caramel sauce over white chocolate. 

•Sprinkle a light dusting of espresso powder over chocolate and caramel layers 

•Finish by tossing dried cranberries at random over the bark. 

•Freeze. This doesn’t take long to freeze. Depending how thick your chocolate and how cold your freezing place (outside is the best fastest freezer for me these days) an hour or two might do it. 

•Once frozen, crack into bite sized pieces. 

•Eat. Or store in freezer in an airtight container or bag. 

•I have not included amounts because I’m not that organized. You can make as much or as little as you want. 

My Thoughts on Salted Carmel Sauce 

I made this salted caramel sauce recipe  (the same one I mention above in the ingredient list) in August to serve to a multitude, and I still had 2 tablespoons in a jar in my fridge that I could never bring myself to throw out and that’s what I used for this recipe. My Grandmothers should be proud that I inherited, or learned, their frugality. Yes, you read that right. I made it in August. I made a vat of it (2 recipes maybe) and I’ve used it many ways, on many things, and served many people with it, and 5 months later it’s, shockingly, still edible. Throughout the fall it adorned Apple nachos, made humble carrot cake muffins into a fancyish Sunday dinner dessert, garnished cheesecakes and mini cheesecakes, been a fabulous accompaniment to sorbet and ice-cream, and perhaps more. I’m not advocating for this recipe over any other recipe for salted caramel sauce, although it’s the only one I’ve ever made; mostly I just think homemade caramel sauce is worth the slightly labour intensive  process, and that it’s not as intimidating as I once imagined it to be. 

The (boring) Story Behind the Recipe 

I use the word accidental a lot when I refer to my cooking. I really cannot stress that word enough. I may sometimes try to plan ahead, or determine to follow a recipe exactly, but I can rarely follow through on these resolutions. I usually make last minute changes or end up doing ingredient swaps when I find I’m out of something. And more often than not I don’t even use a recipe, or, if I do, I use it for something to base my food on, not something to follow exactly. 

I explained where my salted caramel sauce came from (my fridge). The chocolate, on the other hand, I had melted to swirl on top of some lowly peanut butter balls to make them tea party worthy. I melted way too much and couldn’t bring myself to put it in the garbage, so I had to come up with a solution. I spread my chocolate on a providential scrap of parchment and scanned my kitchen for some toppings, and that’s how this espresso salted caramel cranberry white chocolate came into existence. 

One Final Recommendation 

You can totally make this without the espresso powder. Okay, you could probably leave out any of these ingredients except maybe the chocolate part. And you could add ingredients also. But the ingredients I suggest compliment each other in decadent perfection. About the espresso powder. You could leave it out. But then your white chocolate bark will be nondescript and boring and just like karen’s. Non-Coffee People, don’t be afraid to try this. The dusting of espresso should be so light (see picture below for reference) that the flavour doesn’t scream COFFEE!!  at you. It is there to enhance the other flavours more than to add a layer of its own flavour. So my final recommendation is not to make this unless you have espresso powder.

Espresso Salted Caramel Cranberry White Chocolate  Decadence