SERVES 9x13 pan or approximately 25 pieces

PREP 15 mins /COOL time 1 hour / TOTAL TIME 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

~ 2 cups of your favourite chocolate chips (I used Bitter-sweet chips by Enjoy Life Foods) 

~ 1/2 cup coconut manna (I make my own by blending coconut into a really fine paste in the Vitamix)

~ 1/2 cup fresh cranberries, finely chopped (I blitz mine in the Vitamix for just a few seconds)

~ 1/4 cup coconut oil

~ 2 cups whole almonds, toasted

~ Optional Toppings: cocoa nibs, flaked sea salt and thinly chopped cranberries

Steps 

1.Gently melt the chocolate, coconut manna and coconut oil. I used a pot of boiling water and a mixing bowl that fit on top. This process took about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally with a spatula.

2.While chocolate mixture is melting, toast the almonds. I have a toaster oven that I kept a close eye on while toasting the almonds (I am notorious for burning things in it!). I toasted them until browned in colour, fragrant and skin was beginning to crackle. This probably took about 6-8 minutes. Once toasted, remove and set aside.

3. Prepare the cranberries and set aside as well. You can use a knife to finely chop them, or a blender or food processor will do the trick.

4.Once everything is melted and combined, fold in chopped cranberries and toasted almonds.

5. Pour cranberry-almond mixture onto a parchment lined cookie sheet or sheet pan. Spread out the mixture with the spatula, ensuring the thickness remains approx. 1/4 inch. The best part of this recipe is that it is forgiving, so don't stress too much! Just ensure that the edges are together and not too thinned out. Place your toppings now if desired.

6. Place cookie sheet or sheet pan in the fridge to cool for an hour. After that hour is up and mixture is cool to the touch, remove from the fridge. Remove the hardened bark from the parchment paper and place on a cutting board. Cut into desired pieces. Serve right away or place in an airtight container for up to 3 days for optimal freshness.

 Happy Eating Friends!

♡ Kell

Notes

If serving far in advance (over the 3 days, avoid cutting bark into small pieces, rather leave in large pieces in a sealed Ziploc with all the air squeezed out. Once the almonds and cranberries are exposed to oxygen, it will shorten the freshness of the dessert. This will help lengthen the shelf life by a few days.