Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Base
- 400 g high-quality white chocolate, chopped or callets
- 2 g ground cardamom, freshly ground preferred
Inclusions
- 80 g kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
- 3 g flaky sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 142 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 15 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 15 g
- Sodium
- 202 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 5 mg
- Potassium
- 73 mg
- Calcium
- 60 mg
- Iron
- 0.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 3 mg
- Phosphorus
- 44 mg
- Zinc
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 4 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.07 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 2 mcg
- Water
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare the olives by draining them well and patting them extremely dry with paper towels. Chop them roughly. If the olives are wet, the water will cause the chocolate to seize.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Place white chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Melt gently using a microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring between each burst, or over a double boiler. Do not exceed 43°C/110°F to prevent separation.
Stir the ground cardamom into the melted chocolate until evenly distributed.
Fold in about 3/4 of the chopped olives into the chocolate mixture, reserving the rest for the top.
Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread to a thickness of approximately 5mm using an offset spatula.
Scatter the reserved olives and the flaky sea salt over the surface while the chocolate is still wet.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until completely set. Once hard, break into irregular shards by hand.
Chef's Notes
- White chocolate is more prone to burning than dark chocolate. If using a microwave, reduce power to 50%.
- For an extra layer of texture, you can oven-dry the chopped olives at 100°C (212°F) for 30 minutes before using to make them chewy rather than soft.
- The quality of the white chocolate defines this dish; look for brands containing real cocoa butter, not vegetable oil.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 weeks — Store in an airtight container to prevent absorbing fridge odors.
Freezer: 3 months — Texture of olives may change slightly upon thawing.
Troubleshooting
Chocolate becomes thick, grainy, and dull (Seizing)
Cause: Moisture from the olives came into contact with melting chocolate
Fix: Cannot be used for bark. Whisk in warm cream to turn it into a ganache for truffles or tart filling
Prevention: Ensure olives are patted completely dry; ensure bowl and utensils are bone dry
Cultural Context
While chocolate bark is a holiday staple in Western confectionery, this variation draws on the 'Salted Chocolate' trend, utilizing the Mediterranean pairing of olives and sweets found in some modern Greek and Spanish fusion desserts.
