CHOCOLATE FOR CHRISTMAS FOR THOSE ON THE GOOD LIST!

From quick treats to weekend projects, these recipes from There’s Always Room For Chocolate by Naomi Josepher, Jon Payson and Georgia Freedman (Rizzoli, $40) celebrate the magic of chocolate.

CHOCOLATE BARK

 2½ cups whole unsalted almonds, toasted

28 oz dark chocolate

   (preferably 60% cacao)

2 tsp fleur de sel or other flaky sea salt

Coarsely chop half cup of the almonds into large chunks, set aside. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Temper* the chocolate, then bring it back to working temperature. When the chocolate is ready, fold the two cups whole almonds into the chocolate. Pour the chocolate almond mixture onto the parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Bang the pan firmly on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles and help the chocolate spread out until it’s only about 1/3 inch thick.

Sprinkle the chopped almonds and the sea salt evenly over the bark, then set the tray aside in a cool, dry place to let the chocolate firm up. Once the bark is completely set, use your hands to break it into large chunks.

* A way to let melted chocolate cool and harden, retaining the texture and look you want. All you have to do is to heat some of your chocolate until it is fluid, then mix in some hard, unmelted chocolate.

BROWNIES

 Vegetable oil spray

2 cups cake flour

¾ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

2 tbsp baking powder

8 extra large eggs

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

½ tsp salt

12 oz dark chocolate (preferably 60% cacao), coarsely chopped

2 cups unsalted butter

3¾ cups granulated sugar

Pre heat oven to 350°F. Coat the bottom and sides of a deep-sided sheet pan or a 12x16-inch baking pan with vegetable oil spray, line the bottom with parchment paper and spray the top of the parchment.

Sift the cake flour, cocoa powder and baking powder into a large bowl. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, vanilla and salt and whisk vigorously to combine. Set both bowls aside.

Melt the chocolate and butter together in the top of a double boiler, stirring to keep the chocolate from burning, or microwave them together in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until they become liquid. Whisk briskly until combined.

Put the sugar in a large bowl, then pour the melted chocolate over it and whisk to combine. Add half the flour mixture to the bowl and whisk gently. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture. Add the egg mixture to the bowl and carefully fold all the ingredients together with a rubber spatula, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl, just until all ingredients are fully combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake for 40 minutes, until the batter has risen a bit, the brownies have an even, slightly bubbling crust ad the edges are starting to dry out and break a bit. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

HOT FUDGE

 1¼ cups heavy cream

1 cup unsalted butter

½ tsp salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup dark brown sugar

1¼ cups unsweetened Duth-process cocoa powder

In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, butter and salt and cook over medium-high heat until the butter has melted. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add both sugars. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the sugars have melted, then add the cocoa powder and whisk until it has dissolved. The mixture should be thick but if it starts to bubble along the edges, turn the heat down. Remove from the heat and let the fudge cool for a couple of minutes, then blend with an immersion blender until the fudge is completely smooth. Alternatively, let the mixture cool to body temperature, and then blend in a countertop blender.

BROWNIE SUNDAE

Place one brownie at the bottom of a wide ice cream serving bowl and heat it in the microwave for 20 seconds.

Make a very generous scoop of vanilla ice-cream, about the size of a tennis ball and nestle it on top of the brownie.

Use a ladle to pour about 4 tbsps of heated hot fudge around the ice cream onto to the brownie, so that it makes a small pool for the ice cream.

With a large spoon, place a dollop of vanilla whipped cream on top of the ice cream.

Top the sundae with a scattering of chocolate shavings.

Use the back of a small spoon to make an indentation on top of the whipped cream and place one fresh, candied or brandied cherry in it.