Matches made in heaven: chocolate, orange, and hazelnut. This “bark” recipe from Everyday Food magazine combines these ingredients into a tasty treat, perfect for the holidays. According to Everyday Food, “the slight bitterness of the orange zest and a sprinkling of salt round out the richness of the chocolate and hazelnuts.”
Hazelnuts are available pre-chopped, shelled, or unshelled. For this recipe, I bought unshelled hazelnuts and cracked them the old-fashioned way. After shelling, I roasted the hazelnuts at 250F for 15 minutes, then wrapped the nuts in a kitchen towel. The towel allows the nuts to steam, which loosens the skins. The skins can then be rubbed off and the nuts chopped. The roasting also draws out the hazelnuts nature oils and intensifies the flavor, which is worth it if you are able to take the time.
1 navel orange
8 oz bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup hazelnuts, skins removed and coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp coarse salt
Line a small baking sheet with aluminum foil. With a vegetable peeler, remove zest from half of the orange, avoiding as much of the white pith as possible (reserve the rest of the orange for another use). With a sharp knife, cut zest into very thin strips about 1 inch long.
Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl set oven (not in) a pan of simmering water, or use a double-boiler. Stir until melted and completely smooth. Mix in half the zest and hazelnuts. Immediately pour onto prepared baking sheet with a flexible spatula. Spread mixture about 1/4 inch thick in a rectangle on the prepared baking sheet, avoiding the sides of the baking sheets.
Sprinkle with remaining zest, nuts, and coarse salt. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. To serve, break or chop into pieces. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
