Dark chocolate, fruit & nut clusters

It is Silky, soothing, scrumptious and even sexy, yes it is all about chocolate. I am fond of chocolate particularly Dark. The bitter taste lingers in my tongue for hours. That is the way I remember or even enjoy my food.
In chocolate, the darker is better for the health. If you are the one like me, go for the higher content of coaco> 70%, they are good in antioxidant. Dark chocolate derived by the plant called Theobroma cacao is rich in flavonoid. Research shows that Flavonoid is the key sources to improve the function of blood vessel.
That doesn’t mean, you have to open a dark chocolate bar and gobble right away! After all, chocolate is calorie and try to be moderate. When you are for chocolate craving, go for one small cluster and stay fit!
The clusters are a concoction of dark chocolate, dried cranberries and pecans. You have the bitter taste combined with fruits and crunchy pecans. A small cluster is filled with antioxidant (from choc & Cranberrie), good fat (from pecans), and fiber. Dark chocolate, fruit & nut clusters.



Recipe source: Healthy Living with Ellie Krieger but modified according my taste !

It yield a small amount of 8 clusters

Preparation time : 5 min or under
Microwave Cooking time: 2 min

Ingredients:
Dark chocolate >70 % : 1/2 cup chopped
Dried cranberries: 1 ounce or 1/4 cup
Pecans: 1/4 cup chopped

Method:

Keep ready the cranberries & chopped nuts. Take a tray, line a wax paper. Place the chocolate in microwave safe bowl. In medium heat settings, microwave for 2 minutes or less . Take a spoon mix the fruit & nut in chocolate and drop a spoon full in wax paper.
Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

*Store always the cluster in fridge in airtight container. Great to give as a homemade gift for holidays or any special occasion.



Note:
Avoid drinking milk after or while eating dark chocolate, you will not get the same result of antioxidant.
Be moderate after all chocolate is loaded of calories
Store chocolate in cool dark place, they can absorb easily other food smell.

Sending my chocolate clusters to Valli Microwave event MEC-Chocolate.

Comments

Laavanya said…
I love fruit & nut bars and enjoy biting into a sweet raisin or cranberry in this case encased in chocolate...yum.
Finla said…
Oh delicious I have bookmarked to make them.
Good thing is it looks so delicious but really fast and easy to make them.
Mythreyee said…
That is one good cute little cluster.
Madhavi said…
Oh cuteeee presentation, looks delicious. Lovely entry!!!
ST said…
I love chocolate with fruits and nuts...looks very very inviting and tempting....I Wanted to eat just right now.....
Usha said…
Ooooh I love all things chocolate and yours look delicious...great one:)
CurryLeaf said…
yummy,let me make it now.simply delicious
anudivya said…
Cham, this is awesome. Dark chocolate without the sugar and butter has all benefits that cocoa beans has to offer minus the cals.
I personally like dark a lot, but some people don't seem to like it because it has a slightly bitter taste to it. But it is healthy, and I am not complaining!
ST said…
Cham - 1 litre milk reduces to half in 30 - 40 minutes.
mitr_bayarea said…
Cham-

Oh My God...one of my favorites, I printed this recipe- awesome fruit and nut clusters w/ darh chocolate.
bee said…
i agree about avoid drinking milk - ANYTIME. i hate milk. :D
Vaishali said…
Oh my god, Cham. Chocolate, pecans, cranberries-- what's not to love? These look divine.
Deepthi Shankar said…
looks good ... I loved the way u have written about the benefits of dark chocolate .. i love dark chocolates .. must be really yummy with cranberries .. the pic is very cute cham .. great entry
kamala said…
Chocolate and Fruits..Awesome Cham..Beautifully presentation too!!!
Dori said…
They look good, and they are cute tied up with a ribbon.
Unknown said…
They look too cute Cham..And that is too simple to make too..Prety with the ribbons..And that was great info about chocolates..
Sum Raj said…
wht a delighful chocolate dessert....luved ur presentation soo much...hope that tastes crispy on each bite...
karuna said…
wowo, nice fruit clusters. i had made them sometime back too. had added some cereal to mine for tht extra crunch.
Unknown said…
good one cham...I ask my hubby not to buy chocolates..because if I buy then I want to eat the entire bar rightaway... I cant resist my temptation..
I have a dark chocolate bar ..will try this one..
Sujatha said…
I like your presentation with that tiny bow :) Such delicious looking dessert done in <5 mins?? Wow!!
Unknown said…
Me too a fan of dark chocolates.The clusters are great treat.
jayasree said…
Clusters look very tempting...Good presentation.
Sunshinemom said…
Who wouldn't love this?? Especially if you are going to tie them up with ribbons like this - I would love to have one of those:)
Swati said…
Hi Cham, I made this last week as my family loves choc and need it after the meals..Yeah... imagine!!
I made using only dark choc and pecans and they loved it..Adding some fruit will make it only better .. Love the presentation..
Rachel said…
I prefer dark choc as well...The clusters look decadent prettily wrapped in ribbons :)
Illatharasi said…
Very coo presentation... want to grab it:)
sra said…
Cham, it looks really luscious. I love dark chocolate and this is right up my alley if I ever want to make something special.
lubnakarim06 said…
Very nice info on chocolate. Chocolate and nuts sounds intresting, will try this soon. Nice entry to the event.
Srivalli said…
Thanks for another winning dish for the mec..I am so glad!
Unknown said…
Cute & fantatsic.. looks delicious..
Pravs said…
nice to bite into fruits in between the chocolate. Looks so easy to make too.
raaji said…
this looks like Fruit& Nut chocolate...i love that chocolate ver much cham..i should try it out for sure
Cynthia said…
I am not a chocolate lover but lover to hear you chocoloate lovers wax lyrically about your love :)
Srikitchen said…
wow! frui and nut clusters really made my moth to water!
Indian Khana said…
That's and quick and easy one...looks yum and your presentation is beauty...packed for us izit ;)...and the info is quite useful
Raks said…
Has come out very nice and nice presentation!
Perfect goodies... your dish provoked me lovely presentation.
Richa said…
slurrrrrrrrrrp, will take the whole bar, cham :) dark choc is one "nutritious" delicacy one can indulge in....lol
Sagari said…
yummmm soo tempting
Sangeeth said…
lovely bow thr cham!!!cute
Uma said…
I know, I know, I am late in commenting! Sorry dear, I was little busy. Who can resist chocolates? Healthy or not, I am all for those delicious and tempting clusters of chocolate. Yum!
Shubha Ravikoti said…
Hey Cham... visiting ur blog after a long long time...:)

Nice recipe... how r u doing girl?
Sia said…
forget abt calories and think abt antioxidants ;)
Deeba PAB said…
Absolutely brilliant...love the new look of your blog!
Hetal said…
oh u made these at home.....looks so tempting.
Cham, this is so totally unfair.
Its quite late and bedtime for me, but you have set off my chocolate cravings!:(
Its really unfair that I can only look at these and wish...........
wowwwww... not even sinfull.. cham last i saw was the gobi methi ... and now this.... some really different stuffs u r coming up with haan