Bittersweet Chocolate Bark With Candied Orange Peel

Total Time: 2 hrs 45 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 2 navel oranges, washed
• 3 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 lb bittersweet chocolate, chopped (66%)
• 1/2 cup unsalted roasted pistachios (2 1/2 oz)

Recipe

• 1 using a sharp knife, peel the oranges completely, then removed the bitter pitch from the peels so they are about 1/8" thick; cut the peels into 14" wide strips. transfer the peels to a sauce pan filled with cold water; bring to a boil and boil the peels for 7 minutes. drain. repeat with fresh water until the peels are tender, about 15 minutes total. drain.
• 2 rinse out the saucepan. add 2 1/2 cups of the sugar, the corn syrup, and 2 cups of water and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. add the orange peels and simmer over low heat until slightly translucent, about 30 minutes.
• 3 spread the remaining 1 cup of sugar on a pie plate. using a slotted spoon, lift the candied peels from the syrup, letting the syrup drip back into the saucepan; transfer the peels to the pie plate. toss the warm peels in the sugar to coat thoroughly. let the peels cool completely in the sugar, tossing occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• 4 line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. in a double boiler set over a pot of simmering water, heat the bittersweet chocolate until 2/3 is melted. remove from heat. stir the chocolate with a rubber spatula until it is completely melted and registers about 90 degress on an instant read thermometer.
• 5 spread the warm chocolate on the parchment paper to a rough 9x13" rectangle. working quickly, so the chocolate doesn't set, pick out the orange peel, reserving the sugar for another use. scatter the orange peels and pistachios evenly over the melted chocolate, gently tap cookie sheet on the work surface to flatten the chocolate and allow the toppings to sink in slightly. refrigerate for about 15 minutes, just until firm. cut or break the bark into 2" pieces and serve.