3 Chocolate Cherry Bark

GingerlyJ's Note:

I give this candy as part of gift baskets every christmas (what we don't eat ourselves anyway)

• Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 15-20

Yield: 4.0 pounds

• 7 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 cups pecan pieces
• salt
• cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• 1 lb semisweet chocolate
• 1 lb milk chocolate
• 1 lb white chocolate
• 2 cups dried cherries

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a large saute pan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves and is bubbly. Add the pecans. Season the pecans with salt, cayenne, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar starts to caramelize and coat the pecans evenly. Cook for about 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and spread the pecans over a parchment lined baking sheet. Place the pan in the oven and roast the pecans for about 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and cool completely. Break the pecans into small pieces.
3. Fill 3 small saucepans halfway up the pan with water. Place the pans over medium heat and bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. In three separate mixing bowls, add each type of chocolate into the individual bowls. Place the bowls over the saucepans. After about 2 minutes over the heat, the chocolate will start to melt. Stir each chocolate until totally melted. Remove the chocolate from the heat and stir 1 tablespoon of butter into each bowl of chocolate. Pour each type of chocolate over the marble or a large parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the pecans and cherries over the chocolates. Using a metal spatula, spread the mixture out evenly back and forth to about 1/4-inch thick. Either place the marble in the refrigerator or allow to sit out until set, about a couple of hours. Break the bark into medium pieces and serve.