Dark Chocolate Ganache Bars with Sea Salt Make the Holidays Oh, So Sweet!

I remember when I was little, I would totally snub my nose up to dark chocolate. If someone put it in my Halloween bag...What a dirty trick! In the trash it went. Dark chocolate candies ranked up there with those icky chalk tasting Smarties and those nasty black and orange wrapped peanut butter chews. Now that I am much older, and much wiser, Smarties are still on my trash list, but I do love those peanut butter chews and dark chocolate. I actually seek out candies with dark chocolate these days, often buying it over all other varieties.

Over the summer, I stocked up on a lot of dark chocolate but never found the time to bake with it like I wanted. Now that the holidays are here, I still don't have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen like I want, but using up some of that chocolate has been high on my list.

Since time is limited, I thought about making some fudge, but decided I wanted something a little simpler and and also richer in flavor. I love to top my cakes and brownies with ganache, and sometimes make some hi-hat cupcakes and dip the frosting in the ganache too, for an extra sweet coating. This time though, I stuck with an easy melt, pour, freeze, then cut recipe. It doesn't get any simpler than that! I made a pan of Dark Chocolate Ganache Bars and topped them with a touch of sea salt, because I do adore a sweet and salty combo.

You could leave the salt off if you prefer. Also, you don't have to cut them into bars. You could use the melted ganache to fill into some silicone holiday treat molds for a rich chocolate candy that would make a lovely holiday gift or cookie exchange box filler.

I recommend freezing the chocolate once poured into the pan to make it easier to cut through. Also, leave them refrigerated until ready to eat because they will get soft quickly in warm hands.

yield: 12 barsAuthor: Theresa M.print recipe

Dark Chocolate Ganache Bars with Sea Salt

INGREDIENTS:

• 24 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
• course sea salt for garnish (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Set aside.
3. In a small sauce pan, bring heavy whipping cream to a boil. Remove from heat and pour cream over chopped chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute.
4. Using small, slow circles, whisk the cream and chocolate mixture until completely combined, and chocolate is a smooth consistency.
5. Add butter cubes and continue to stir until completely incorporated into the chocolate mixture.
6. Pour mixture into lined pan (or silicone molds if you are using them). If desired, sprinkle a small amount of course sea salt over the top of the mixture. Cover the pan with plastic wrap, then place in the freezer for 30 minutes. 
7. Using a sharp knife, cut the chocolate into squares. Serve immediately, or store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

http://www.theresasmixednuts.com/2016/12/dark-chocolate-ganache-bars-with-sea.html

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These bars will be a hit on your holiday dessert table, but be sure to hide a few for yourself. You'll be kicking yourself if you don't since they'll get gobbled up in no time!

Dark, white, milk, semi-sweet... What's your favorite kind of chocolate?