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For reasons I can't really explain, I got an urge to make candy last weekend. I don't particularly like candy — I prefer my sugar mixed with flour and butter and applied directly to my midsection. That said, we made sea salt caramels from this recipe and peppermint bark and pistachio-cranberry-pumpkin seed bark and they pretty much rock. The bark couldn't be easier to make. Just melt good chocolate (I used Trader Joe's 72% cacao, but you can use milk, white, whatever) in a double boiler. Pour melted chocolate into a waxed paper-lined pan and top with whatever you choose. We found putting it in the fridge for a few hours helped it set up.
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And now we're off to California, for some end-of-year festivities. See you all in 2012!