Connect Health- Recipe of the Month: Christmas Chocolate Bark

Photo credit: the Petite Cook By Belinda Morris, Clinical Nutritionist Oh. My. Goodness. Welcome to the easiest recipe for the most deliciousness you will even encounter. Dangerously so! Christmas bark is great for a small serving of your magnesium needs and hits those sugar cravings right in the sweet spot! Christmas bark is a great present for teachers, friends and co-workers, but most importantly, to yourself! Ingredients: 1-2 blocks of 70-90% natural dark chocolate, depending on your taste Ceylon cinnamon Semi-course sea salt Your favourite small crunchies – try shredded coconut, crushed pecans or walnuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, goji berries, dried blueberries or cranberries Directions: Prepare by placing a sheet of greaseproof paper in a large oven tray. Add half a pot of boiling water to a large pot and keep boiling on the stove. Take a large metal mixing bowl and place over boiling water, making sure there is enough water to keep boiling, but not too much to bubble over. Break up chocolate blocks and add in to mixing bowl that is being heated from underneath. Stir continuously until chocolate is starting to melt. Add a few dashes of cinnamon and a pinch of sea salt. Keep stirring until all chocolate has melted. Once melted, carefully and with oven mitts, pour melted chocolate into baking tray. You are aiming for approximately 1-2cm thickness of chocolate, or whatever you prefer. Set aside bowl with some chocolate to lick off later – very important step if you have small helpers! Sprinkle your favourite toppings over the top. This is a free for all – sprinkle as much or as little of your favourite toppings as you like over your bed of chocolate. Store in the fridge for 1-2 hours, until all toppings have set. Roughly chop or break chocolate bark into pieces and store in an air-tight container. Keep cool to avoid melting, and enjoy your Christmas treat!