Peppermint Bark

Peppermint Bark

I’m not a huge chocoholic, and I don’t particularly love peppermint, but I love this bark – particularly when it’s “in season.” This is so easy to make, and you can use a variety of chocolate combinations. I used a combination of semi-sweet chocolate and milk chocolate for the bottom layer and good quality white chocolate for the top layer, but you could certainly use all semi-sweet, all milk chocolate, or even dark chocolate for the bottom layer. You can use peppermint candies (you know, the kind that you grab handfuls of when you leave the family style restaurant), or candycanes (my preference since they’re in season). This bark is great to add to your holiday cookie tray, or box it up and give it as gifts. Make a couple batches…trust me, it disappears quickly.

INGREDIENTS:

12 Oz. Good Quality Semi-sweet, Milk or Dark Chocolate – chips or chopped
16 Oz. Good Quality White Chocolate – chips or chopped
1 tsp. Peppermint Extract
1/2 Cup Crushed Peppermint Candy (about 4 candycanes)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Line a baking sheet with wax paper (can use aluminum foil – shiny side up). Put darker chocolate (whatever combination you decide to use) into a heat proof bowl or the top of a double boiler. Using a saucepan or small stockpot with a top opening wide enough to comfortably hold bowl on top, add enough water to reach just below where the bowl would sit on top and bring to a boil. Add bowl with chocolate to the top of the pot and stir chocolate until melted. Add 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract to melted chocolate and mix until thoroughly combined. Remove bowl from heat and wipe the bottom to remove any condensation which may have formed (you don’t want water droplets to fall into your chocolate when you spread it on sheet). Spread melted chocolate in an even layer on baking sheet (don’t worry about getting it exactly flat – it is suppose to look rustic). Allow darker chocolate to cool and partially set for about 10 minutes. Wash bowl and dry thoroughly. Repeat process to melt the white chocolate and add remaining 1/2 tsp. of peppermint extract to melted white chocolate and mix until thoroughly combined. Spread melted white chocolate in an even layer over cooled dark chocolate. Sprinkle crushed peppermint over the top of white chocolate and use your fingers to press in slightly to incorporate the pieces into the white chocolate (just enough so that they don’t all fall off). Allow to cool entirely (at least one hour) and then break into pieces.