Dark Chocolate Bark with Cashews, Coconut and Currants

This dark chocolate bark is studded with salted cashews, toasted coconut and dried currants. It makes a delicious dessert when paired with the Laphroaig 10 Year Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky I recently received for review. 

If my Dad could total up the number of pounds of cashews he has received as Father’s Day gifts over the years, I have little doubt it could fill the back of a pick-up truck. There has always been something essential about a can of his favorite nuts being a part of his gifts. 

I suspect my tendency to give food as a gift is rooted in this family practice. But these days, while my family tends to stick with things like cashews, our gift giving has expanded into the drink category. 

Father’s Day is right around the corner and while my Dad isn’t much of a scotch drinker, I am. And I expect a lot of Dads (and Moms) out there happen to be, too. So when I received a lovely bottle of Laphroaig Single Malt Scotch Whisky I wanted to find a way to celebrate Father’s Day with a few of my Dad’s favorites, but in a way that paired nicely with one of our favorites around here, excellent scotch. 

Let’s talk about scotch for a bit. It happens to be a drink of choice around Brazil and I first started enjoying it during our time living there. Since then, thanks to some writing projects, I’ve learned a lot more. Laphroaig is an Islay scotch and this is extremely important because the origin of a scotch dictates its flavor profile. 

Scotch from the island of Islay is known for bold flavor and is often described as smoky or peaty. Peat is a compost or dirt made up of decomposed plants. This peat serves as fuel for roasting the barley that is used to make the scotch. These strong peaty notes are unique to the scotches of Islay. 

I’m new to pairing scotch so coming up with a good recipe for this post took a bit of research. I followed a few basic guidelines that I uncovered. First, don’t match the flavors. Islay scotch doesn’t necessarily go well with smoked meats.  Second, instead balance the flavors. Nuttiness and saltiness are better balanced with sweetness.

I knew from the start that I didn’t want to do a typical pairing. No meaty, hearty dinner. No, I wanted something farther fetched, but that still worked well. That’s when I stumbled on some information about pairing Islay scotch with chocolate. 

So I took those general guidelines and put them into practice while finding a way to incorporate two my of my Dad’s favorite things — cashews and coconut. 

It turns out these two things are perfect for pairing with the scotch. Laphroaig 10 year is described as smoky and earthy with a sweet nuttiness of barley. Lightly salted cashews complement the nutty barley notes. The toasted coconut and currants dotted throughout the dark chocolate bring a bit of harmony to the strong smoky flavors. 

This dark chocolate bark is nutty and delicious, but when paired with a sip of this scotch, it really bursts open in your mouth with a whole new profile of flavors.

So this is how you do it. Take a small sip of scotch (neat or with a splash of water only, by the way) and then take a bite of the bark. The saltiness of the cashew explodes followed by the chocolate transforming into layers of unexpected flavor. 

I’d never expected that I could like scotch more than by simply sipping it, but this bark has proved me wrong. So whether its Father’s Day or any other occasion, once dessert rolls around break out a bottle of the Laphroaig and break off a few pieces of this dark chocolate bark to pass around the table. 

What you’ll need:

1 lb. dark chocolate (50 – 60% cacao)
1 teaspoon virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
1/4 cup salted cashew pieces
2 tablespoons dried currants

How to make it:

Melt the chocolate and coconut oil until smooth in a double boiler set over medium heat. 

Pour the chocolate onto a large baking sheet covered with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Spread the chocolate to about 1/4 inch thickness. 

Sprinkle with the coconut and then the cashews. Gently press the toppings into the chocolate. Next, add the currants and press into the chocolate. 

Refrigerate for about 1 hour, until firm. 

Break or cut into pieces and serve.