Dark chocolate bark candy as easy to make as is it to eat

Making this candy is almost as easy as eating it: Just melt the chocolate, stir in the zest, pour into a parchmentlined pan and scatter with the fruit and nuts. (You could swap in any nut and dried fruit you like or have on hand.) Let the candy set in the refrigerator for an hour, then break it into pieces.

Dark Chocolate Cherry Almond Bark

1 cup whole, skin-on almonds

12 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped teaspoon finely grated orange zest cup tart dried cherries or cherry-flavored dried cranberries

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Pleat a 22-inch-long piece of parchment paper lengthwise to make a 9-inch-wide strip, then fit it into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish like a sling, pressing the paper into the corners to line the bottom and the 2 short sides of the pan. (The paper should overhang the two short sides.)

Spread the almonds on a baking sheet; toast in the oven for 7 or 8 minutes, until fragrant. Cool.

Place about three-quarters of the chocolate in the top part of a double-boiler. Heat, stirring, until the chocolate has melted. Transfer the bowl to a folded dish towel on the countertop. Add the remaining chocolate, stirring until melted, then stir in the orange zest.

Pour that chocolate into the lined baking dish, and use an offset spatula to spread it evenly. Scatter the toasted almonds and dried cherries over the top, then refrigerate for 1 hour, just to set.

Remove the chocolate from the baking dish and discard the parchment. Cut or break up the bark into 24 pieces that are about the same size. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Makes 24 pieces.