Love candy bark, but think it’s too sweet? Try some Mocha Meringue Bark instead. It’s light and airy like a meringue but baked flat like a bark treat.
Mocha Meringue Bark
This week I’ve made a lovely chocolate dessert that’s going to be the talk of the party. Starting with this Mocha Meringue, then a Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting that will top a Chocolate Flourless Cake! It may be all naturally gluten-free, but it sure isn’t guilt free!
I didn’t set out to make a Gluten Free dessert. I have a belief that I should only call something gluten-free if I modify a dessert to make it gluten-free. I don’t think it counts if I use naturally gluten-free ingredients.
What is your opinion on that?
I see it all the time on things like popcorn, rice, and chocolate… To me, calling naturally gluten-free food “Gluten Free” is very trendy and stating the obvious. It’s only necessary when the original recipe is adapted to be gluten-free. The gluten ingredient, wheat, has been removed and replaced with an alternative. Gluten free bread. Gluten free graham crackers. Gluten free cookies. Not gluten free popcorn or chocolate.
What do you think? Do you know when something this naturally gluten-free or do you need a label to tell you that it is? I’m curious if I am way off base here…
Meringues are naturally gluten-free because they are simply made from egg whites. This recipe has the addition of ground almonds, similar to Macarons. The crunch of the bark with the espresso and chocolate flavors were light and tasty.
Mr. Quart enjoyed some for dessert with his black coffee. 
Not sure what to do with those leftover egg yolks? Why not make a stovetop pudding like grandma used to make, a custard sauce, or some thick and creamy vanilla ice cream?
Mocha Meringue Bark
Light and crispy and naturally gluten free, this Mocha Meringue Bark is sure to please at your next tea party.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
- 1 tablespoon + 1/4 cup sugar
- 4 egg whites
- pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon Instant Espresso Powder
- 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
- Line a jelly roll pan or large cookie sheet with parchment or a silicon mat.
- Place ¼ cup of almonds and 1 tablespoon of sugar into a food processor and pulse until a fine crumb forms. Roughly chop remaining ¼ of almonds and set aside.
- In a mixer with a whisk attachment, whip eggs and salt until soft peaks forms. Slowly add in sugar and coffee. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form. Fold in almond meal.
- Transfer to the cookie sheet and spread out with an offset spatula. Sprinkle with almonds and mini chocolate chips.
- Bake for 1 hour, turn oven off and leave in the oven for another hour.
- Break into large pieces and serve.
Notes
If your meringue gets soft and loses its crunch, simply place it back into a 200 degree oven for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave it in the oven to continue to dry out for another 20 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 69Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 30mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 1gSugar: 7gProtein: 2g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
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This is so creative Karyn!!
Thanks so much. The hubby really liked it!
I think I agree that it is best to label something “gluten free” when it is something that most people would not associate with being gluten free, like your examples of cookies, bread, and crackers. I think the same goes for dairy free. If I make ice cream, but it is dairy free, then I think a dairy free label is acceptable, but labeling a fruit salad as “dairy free” is probably unnecessary. I make brownies that are gluten and dairy free, and I label them as such, because I don’t think generally brownies are expected to be that way. Love this recipe by the way, totally making it soon!
Thanks Lindsay. My husband is Lactose intolerant and he KNOWS what to avoid. So yes, labeling something that has bed altered to accommodate that dietary need is appreciated and should be brought up.
This meringue bark looks great! I agree with you about labeling something gluten free. I never label any of my recipes gluten-free because I don’t intentionally try to make them gluten free, even though some of them are by nature. To me the label gluten free implies something that usually has gluten in it, but there was an adjustment to make it gluten free.
Alyssa, right there with ya! Sometime I feel like I’m missing out on the SEO aspect of the Gluten-Free craze, but I feel that people with a real gluten intolerance know what they can and can not eat. I thinks the label is more for the “dieters” who want to do it for the fad.
Looks like something that I would really love….if I substitute Spends for the auger…would it also be low carb?
Yes, you can use Splenda, but it tastes funny and ends up a lot more dry. You would also have to keep the chocolate chips out.
You’d be amazed how many things are out there that have gluten added to them, that you would expect to be gluten free. I like the labels just so I can be absolutely sure I can serve something to someone who cannot eat gluten, as I don’t regularly cook gluten-free. Of course, that’s more for packaged foods than made from scratch.
I know that they ADD gluten to a lot of processed foods. I think it’s crazy!! I like the label “Naturally Gluten-Free”. That’s honest and not a gimmick. I think it’s shameful on the companies to add it to a naturally gluten-free food. When baking from scratch you control the ingredients and keep all of the “unknowns” out.
I can imagine the delicious crunch! The bark looks great as decoration on your flourless cake. I bet everyone at the party was awed. I know I am.