Cocoa Bark with potato chips and cheese
Apparently we have a ban on cheesy 80’s music in our house. Wish he’d mentioned it before we agreed to move in together. Or perhaps you never truly know someone until you start living with them and discover their little quirks. Such as belting out Whitney Houston classics into a hair brush or eating ice-cream at midnight. That would be me, guilty on both counts.
I’ve discovered many interesting aspects about the boy over the years. Some things being more surprising than others. He :
-Has the annoying tendency to return from business trips with nothing but a load of laundry.
-Is very brand specific about his breakfast cereal and toothpaste.
-Doesn’t put toilet seat down.
-Needs regular feeding or will get grumpy and complain about feeling weak.
-Needs dessert (this last point actually works quite well in both our favours).
Forget chalk and cheese. We’re like chocolate and cheese. Seemingly disparate but surprisingly not such a bad combination.
Which is why when Alice Medrich described these tuiles being “as addictive as potato chips”, I somehow managed to put 2 + 2 = 5 and decided what was needed to garnish these tuiles were some crushed potato chips and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese. Potentially a bad idea in theory, but the salty potato chips and hint of cheese worked well together to enhance the texture and flavour of the chocolate wafers. These are also good dipped in caramel sauce.
If your stomach turns at the thought of chips and chocolate, make the tuiles with a different garnish, or dispense with the garnish altogether and enjoy them as they are. They have a lovely snap and true to Alice Medrich’s word, they are very addictive. The entire batch I made was gone in no time, because we kept reaching for just one more wafer.
So 2 + 2 = 5 = 0? Bad math, great snack.
Cocoa Bark :
(from Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy by Alice Medrich)
4 tablespoons butter, melted and still very warm
100g sugar
20g natural (non-alkalized) cocoa powder, sieved after measuring
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 large egg whites
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon plain flour
Preheat the oven to 175’C. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, cocoa and salt. Whisk in the egg whites. Add the flour and whisk only until combined. Let rest for at least 10 minutes or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
To bake, use an offset spatula to spread half the batter onto each of two cookie sheets lined with silicone mats. Each sheet of batter should be about 9 by 13 inches wide and less than 1/8 inch thick. [Sprinkle each sheet with your topping of choice. I used crushed potato chips and grated cheese. You can even use nuts or crushed peppermint candies as suggested by the author]
Bake each sheet for 11 to 13 minutes until the batter turns a faintly darker shade of brown. Rotate the pan from back to front halfway through the baking time to ensure even baking. Cool completely on a rack before breaking the cookie into random shards.
Tags: Alice Medrich, cocoa, cookies
VeggieGirl said,
February 13, 2011 @ 2:50 pm
SO intriguing!
shaz said,
February 13, 2011 @ 8:22 pm
Oh yes, I’m definitely on board with the chips and chocolate part. Will definitely try the cheese. I’ve made something similar to these sprinkled with macadamia and chocolate chunks. SO addictive.
Btw – I rushed out and bought all the ingredients and made those honey bars after your last post. Love ’em. Unfortunately hubby likened it to pet food and kids think it’s too healthy! (More for me then) 🙂
Siobhan said,
February 13, 2011 @ 8:44 pm
I bought some peppermint bark from the donna hay store. it didn’t last two days! I will try this with some crushed leftover Christmas candy canes. Oh yes.
BTW I was hoping to send you an email. Is this possible?
Rosa said,
February 13, 2011 @ 8:58 pm
A stunning combo! Intriguing indeed.
Cheers,
Rosa
Christy said,
February 13, 2011 @ 9:36 pm
Hehe. I think that not putting down toilet seat thing is the same for every man on this planet. I actually like chocolate with potato chips—I normally go for Red Rock Deli’s Honey Soy Chicken chips with my chocolate cake as a treat. Not baked together, but eaten in alternating mouthfuls. Heh. Maybe that’s why we get along. Anyway this post proves that I’m not crazy!!
shaz said,
February 13, 2011 @ 9:54 pm
No, no, please don’t apologise. I really love it. I think everyone will change their tune if I chucked some choc-chips in t ;P
Hannah said,
February 13, 2011 @ 10:32 pm
Words cannot express the depth of love I feel for this creation of yours. I once spent an exorbitant amount of money on chocolate-covered potato chips at a gourmet food store in New York, and can only imagine how heavenly parmesan would be alongside the chocolate + chip taste combination.
Oh, if only it weren’t 10:30pm at night and I hadn’t just eaten a block of tempeh an hour after coming home from dinner at a Japanese restaurant… (yes, I have strange eating habits 😛 )
mademoiselle délicieuse said,
February 13, 2011 @ 11:23 pm
I can imagine the chocolate and potato crisps going together but the cheese component has me suitably intrigued.
Then again, the husband does enjoy McDonald’s fries dipped in their chocolate sundaes…
Lucie said,
February 13, 2011 @ 11:27 pm
What a cute post!
This flavor combination is really intriguing. The potato chips and chocolate I can imagine, but i’m really tempted to see what the cheese does for it. Kind of like adding sea salt?
Laura said,
February 14, 2011 @ 2:06 am
Y, you are too funny! When I moved in with my now husband I firmly asked him to learn how to seat to do his business or he would have to be the one cleaning the toilet. Needless to say, I didn’t have to ask a second time….Seat stays down, and the toilet is cleaner…TMI, I know, but it worked!
You make me want to buy Alice’s latest book, bad you! It sounds really intriguing.
I had a tasting of a chocolate with mushroom in it and I liked it, the one with cheese I could have lived without though.
Have a great week!
Helen (grabyourfork) said,
February 14, 2011 @ 3:22 am
This combination sounds incredible – salty and sweet; a faint bitterness counteracted by cheese. Ultimately satisfying. Just like any long and successful relationship 🙂
leslie said,
February 14, 2011 @ 6:34 am
Amazing…the salty and sweet combo win me over everytime
MarmandeintheKitchen said,
February 14, 2011 @ 8:36 am
I’m a bit embarassed to admit, but sometimes I’ll put a piece of cheddar on top of a piece of brownie, so I am totally into this combination. Looks delicious!
sarah said,
February 14, 2011 @ 4:25 pm
ooh, I’ve been contemplating the combination of chocolate, cheese, and potatoes for years, but never came up with an idea that didn’t sound gross. I am so trying these 🙂
the caked crusader said,
February 14, 2011 @ 7:41 pm
Yum – these look extremely quaffable!
You’d love the radio station I listen to – Absolute 80s. Wall to wall 80s music! Mr CC and I can often be heard belting out backing vocals to Bonnie Tyler hits!
InTolerantChef said,
February 14, 2011 @ 10:14 pm
I get the whole chips and chocolate thing, but need to get my head around the parmesan. Parmesan is high in MSG qualities- the magic umami, so I guess that’s what makes it work.
Megan @ FeastingonArt said,
February 15, 2011 @ 8:44 am
I was doubtful at first but I think you have sold me on the chocolate + cheese combo. Will have to give these a try very soon!
Julia @ Mélanger said,
February 15, 2011 @ 10:41 am
Feels like you’ve made every recipe from this fabulous book?
Loving the sound of cheese, chocolate and potato chip combination. There was this store in Boston called The Chocolate Dipper, and many many many years ago I tried chocolate covered potato chips for the first time. I was originally apprehensive, but immediately became addicted. Cheese would be a lovely addition.
Each day I learn something new about my husband. I kind of like that. And what’s good, is that he is more than supportive when I break out into 80s song. I like to accompany a situation with a tune, every now and again! 🙂
grace said,
February 15, 2011 @ 5:58 pm
i was with ya on the chips, but the thought of cheese and chocolate gives me hesitation. i’m game to try, though–your bark looks fantastic!
shez said,
February 15, 2011 @ 10:14 pm
I love how things that don’t quite work out on paper end up being nothing short of brilliant in real life.
I also love eating potato chips and chocolate in the same mouthful. And listening to 80s music whilst I cook. You’ve got me craving…
Christina_Cookie Gifts said,
February 16, 2011 @ 6:43 am
I’m making coco bark cookies as soon as I get home. These look so good!
Su-yin said,
February 17, 2011 @ 1:05 pm
I love the idea of chocolate + crisps! Definitely bookmarking this to try it out at some point.
R and I have fairly different personalities, but somehow it works. 🙂 He’s very brand specific with his toothpaste too!! Won’t use anything but Darlie, the one time he ran out and had to try a different brand everything was deemed “not minty enough”.
Michelle said,
February 19, 2011 @ 9:08 am
This is really intriguing. Bet it tastes great.
Darina said,
February 20, 2011 @ 1:57 pm
This is great. I didn’t realize that you could make bark with cocoa powder. I love bark. It’s so easy to make, looks elegant and is so delicious. Problem is whenever I make some, I end up scarfing it all down. Lovely photo.
Y said,
February 20, 2011 @ 2:09 pm
Hi Darina, I’m guessing you’re thinking of the bark made with melted chocolate and sprinkled with various toppings. This bark here is actually a tuile or wafer. And a very delicious one too.
Renata said,
February 22, 2011 @ 2:15 am
This looks so yummy! Does anyone have suggestions for substituting the eggs? I’m allergic…
Babette @BabetteBakes said,
February 22, 2011 @ 5:44 am
First, I love Alice Medrich, her shortbread recipes from “Cookies & Brownies” are fantastic.
Thanks for this post, great idea and lovely photo. Look forward to checking out the rest of your blog!
Thanh said,
February 23, 2011 @ 8:56 pm
Belting out Whitney Houston songs is heaps of fun. And yes, there must always be desserts. A very interesting combination, love your imagination Yu-Ching.
Forager @ The Gourmet Forager said,
February 28, 2011 @ 12:47 pm
Intriguing combination, but you’ve sold me on the flavours and can almost hear the crispness of those wafers myself! I wish my neighbours would get into eighties instead. I get barraged with off-key Sinatra on one side and booty shaking rnb on the other.
Jamie said,
April 6, 2011 @ 1:10 am
I love the yin and the yang of couples, how different yet how well we work together! Chocolate and cheese describes many of us perfectly! And I must say that one of my favorite things is the chocolate-covered potato chips I get from a chocolate maker each time I go home to Florida. This salty cheesy chocolate bark is fabulous! Barking up the right tree? (ouch sorry)
cookware said,
May 18, 2011 @ 11:36 am
is this dark choc ? looks lovely.
any one made one? how does it taset?