Dark Chocolate Almond Bark with Salted Caramel
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This Dark Chocolate Almond Bark is a perfect balance of salty and sweet!
I love chocolate covered almonds. Something about the taste of nuts combined with dark chocolate makes the dessert more savoury, and the chocolate less sweet. Because of this, I find chocolate almonds somewhat addictive: especially when they are salted! Is there anything better than salty and sweet together? The only thing that can make dark chocolate and almonds more delicious is the addition of salted caramel. This delicious dessert combines crunchy roasted almonds, creamy salted caramel, and smooth dark chocolate to create the perfect bite.
I promise this Dark Chocolate Almond Bark with Salted Caramel is so good you’ll have trouble not eating it all in one sitting!
TOTAL TIME
- Preparation Time – 10 minutes
- Cooking Time – 15 minutes, plus at least 2 hours to chill
- Total Time – 2 hours and 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS FOR DARK CHOCOLATE ALMOND BARK WITH SALTED CARAMEL
All the ingredients for this almond bark are easy to source from any local grocer.
- 1/2 cup Heavy cream
- 1 cup White sugar
- 1/2 tsp Fleur de sel
- 100 g Dark Chocolate (78% cocoa)
- 1/2 cup Raw almonds
WHAT IS FLEUR DE SEL?
Fleur de Sel (flower of salt) is sea salt. However, unlike coarse or fine sea salt, it has a flaked texture as a result of crystallization on the surface of the sea water as it evaporates. It is harvested by hand, and is an ideal finishing salt because it’s light texture adds a slight taste of salt without being excessively heavy.
WHAT ARE RAW ALMONDS?
Raw almonds are simply shelled almonds that have not been roasted or salted. Sweet raw almonds, sold by many nut companies in North America, are perfectly safe to eat. There is a school of thought that believes them healthier than unroasted almonds. That said, there is no reason you have to use them for this recipe. As long as the almonds you use are unsalted, they will work perfectly in this recipe (just skip the roasting step).
INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS
CAN I USE MILK CHOCOLATE INSTEAD OF DARK?
Milk chocolate can absolutely be substituted for dark if you wish. However, keep in mind that caramel is very sweet and you might end up with an overly sweet treat. Regardless of what cocoa percentage you use, make sure to purchase a good quality chocolate: after all, what’s the point in making a dessert that’s sub par?
CAN I USE A LIGHTER CREAM?
In theory you could substitute a lighter cream in place of the heavy cream in this recipe. However, a lower milk fat percentage will result in a thinner cream which in turn will make a runnier caramel, and the resulting bark may not be as solid as you would like.
EQUIPMENT FOR DARK CHOCOLATE ALMOND BARK WITH SALTED CARAMEL
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Below is a list of the main equipment/kitchen tools needed to make Dark Chocolate Almond Bark with Salted Caramel:
- Heavy bottomed pan
- Spatula – I always use my Le Creuset spatula when making caramel. I am able to easily scrape down the sides of the pan, and ensure that there is no sugar left unmelted. It easily stands up to high heat6 without issue, and as an added bonus the silicone head is removable and can be tossed in the dishwasher!
- Baking tray
- Parchment paper
COOKING DIRECTIONS
There is nothing more delicious than the combination of salty and sweet. This recipe will satisfy all your cravings as long as you follow three important rules:
- Keep a close eye on the sugar as it burns easily if it is not constantly mixed, in addition keep an eye the almonds while roasting them to ensure they don’t burn.
- Give the caramel time to cool after cooking before pouring on the almonds. It will solidify more as it cools which will help you portion it out as you wish.
- Allow the chocolate bark sufficient time to cool in the fridge. It’s hard to resist eating immediately, but I promise you it’s worth waiting until it’s firmed up in the fridge.
MAKE AHEAD STORAGE
This recipe cannot be prepared in advance.
The Dark Chocolate Almond Bark with Salted Caramel can be kept in the fridge for up to two weeks.
FINISHED DISH
Enjoy this Dark Chocolate Almond Bark!
OTHER CHOCOLATE DISHES
Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Dark Chocolate Cashew Butter Cups
OTHER DESSERTS
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment and rating below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #cooking.with.carbs.
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Dark Chocolate Almond Bark with Salted Caramel
Equipment
- Heavy glass bowl
- Spatula
- Small pot
- Heavy Bottomed Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Cookie sheet
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Heavy cream
- 1 cup White sugar
- 1/2 tsp Fleur de sel divided
- 100 g Dark chocolate (78% cocoa)
- 1/2 cup Raw almonds
Instructions
SALTED CARAMEL
- Heat 1/4 cup of sugar over medium-high heat in a heavy bottomed pan, stirring frequently.
- When it has melted and turned a golden colour, slowly add the rest of the sugar, 4 minutes.
- Continue stirring while the sugar melts, moving it around the pan so it doesn’t burn, 3 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the cream and 1/4 tsp of fleur de sel.
- Continue cooking until the sugar is entirely dissolved, then remove the pan from the heat, 2 minutes.
ALMONDS
- While you are making the caramel, turn the oven to 400 F.
- Pour the almonds onto a baking sheet and spread evenly, then bake 13-15 minutes until toasted.
MELTED CHOCOLATE
- While the caramel is cooling, put a double boiler (bain marie) onto the stove on medium-high. You'll want a heat proof bowl and a heavy bottomed sauce pan with a few inches of water.
- Break the chocolate into chunks, and place it in the heat proof bowl.
- Stir occasionally until your chocolate is entirely melted then take it off the heat to cool.
DARK CHOCOLATE ALMOND BARK
- Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Drizzle about 1/4 of the room temperature chocolate onto the sheet.
- Spread the almonds over the chocolate evenly.
- Drizzle the caramel over the almonds and chocolate. I used about 2/3 of the recipe, but you can use as much as you'd like.
- Pour the remaining chocolate over the almonds and caramel.
- Place the sheet in the fridge until set (at least two hours).
