Easter & the egg - The Barks

There are two versions mentioned here – the first I've used on many occasions, it's quick and easy and looks good bagged and bowed, or arranged in a small pot.

Chocolate Bark

Handful of chopped dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots and toasted, roughly chopped hazelnuts.

Line a baking sheet with clingfilm. (Baking sheet should be approximately 30cm x 18cm) You will find the clingfilm easier to control if you oil the baking sheet.

Break 300g of dark or milk chocolate into pieces and put in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Melt.

When the chocolate has melted pour it onto the clingfilmed sheet.

Scatter over the fruit and nuts. Wear a disposable glove and very gently ease the fruit and nuts into the chocolate.

Leave to set for 4 hours before breaking into chards.

You can use any combination of fruit and nuts to suit your taste – tailor the recipe to suit your favourites – it is Easter after all and you deserve a treat.

If you wanted to add an extra dimension – discover your inner Jackson Pollock – melt 100g of white chocolate and, using a fork – holding it high above the tray, drizzle the chocolate over the bark. Note to self – make sure you place kitchen roll underneath the baking sheet so that you don't cover everywhere in chocolate.

The second version is probably more to the grown-up taste :

Pistachio and tart cherry chocolate bark

400g plain chocolate, chopped

200g white chocolate, chopped

300g pistachio nuts (minus shells) toasted

200g dried tart cherries

Before you begin, oil a baking sheet 30x20 cms approx and line with cling film. You have two options – you can melt the chocolate in the microwave – if you choose this method then, using a microwave-proof bowl and based on a 700w oven, the plain chocolate should take 1 minute 35 secs. The white chocolate should take 1 minute 30 secs. Ensuring that the plain chocolate is melted stir in the nuts and cherries but reserve some of each to decorate. Tip the chocolate onto the sheet and spread until it's approximately 1cm thick. Drizzle the white chocolate over the top, then, for example, use a bamboo skewer (the type you'd use for kebabs) and drag the pointed end through the white chocolate in different directions. Decorate with remaining nuts and cherries and fridge for minimum of one hour. Cut the bark into chards and bag or box, add a gift tag.

If you'd prefer to not to use a microwave then melt the chocolate by placing in a large bowl over a pan of simmering water. The downside to this method is that you're creating lots of washing up since you'll have to melt the plain and the white chocolate.

The bark should be kept in the fridge until ready to devour. If you are making the bark for your own indulgence then store in a sealed container – it will keep for up to a month – in your dreams!

This recipe will give you approximately 1kg of bark – halve the quantities and use a smaller baking sheet if you don't want so much – I believe you!