Cherry Truffle Bars

Ingredients

3 cups (1 lb. 3 oz.) premium chocolate, 60% cocoa
1 can coconut milk (13.5 oz.) with a minimum of 11% fat
5 tablespoons Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
2/3 cup dried cherries or cherry flavored cranberries
1 cup sliced almonds
16 oz chocolate flavored candy coating

Directions

Cut chocolate into pea-size pieces and place in a bowl large enough to hold remaining ingredients. Set aside.
Press a sheet of plastic food wrap tightly into a 9x13-inch pan. If needed, oil pan to make plastic stick better. Set aside.
In a small saucepan combine coconut milk and sugar and bring to a boil.
Remove from heat and pour onto chocolate and whisk until chocolate has melted.
Add almond extract (if using) and dried fruits. Pour into plastic-lined prepared pan and cover with a sheet of plastic food film. Place in refrigerator for at least four hours, or overnight.
Scatter almonds on a cookie sheet and place in a 350°F oven until golden and lightly fragrant, about 14 minutes. Almonds will go from underdone to burned in minutes, so watch closely.
Place a cutting board in the freezer.
Remove surface plastic from chocolate pan. Turn pan upside down onto prechilled and plastic-lined cutting board.
Cut lengthwise in three equal strips and crosswise in 3/4-inch bars. Separate bars so they do not touch.
Melt a few tablespoons of chocolate coating. Spread a thin and even layer of melted chocolate coating over entire surface of each bar. This action will prevent the fork from sticking to filling during the dipping process.
Once coating has firmed, turn bars upside down onto a new sheet of plastic food wrap.
Spread another thin layer of chocolate coating on each surface and while still wet, adhere almonds.
Melt remaining chocolate coating in a small bowl. Drop a bar with almonds facing down into melted coating, turn over with a fork and lift up. The surface of fork should be on the precoated side of the bar. (Done in step 10).
Place on a parchment lined surface and allow to harden.