I sent this Peppermint Bark with my husband to a leadership meeting and to say they were well received would be an understatement! My husband came home laughing as he told me the reactions. One gentleman, reaching for a second piece, declared that these are “proof that God loves us”. Another took a bite and interrupted the meeting to ask who brought them. The reactions were so good that those that initially declined the offer of a piece ended up eating some.
So rewarding for me. The best part is that it’s not even complicated to make. It can be a little pricey because high quality chocolate is a must but I stock up on Ghirardelli baking bars when they go on sale and they work perfectly in this recipe.
Peppermint Bark
INGREDIENTS
24 oz high quality white chocolate, broken in to pieces and divided
12 oz high quality semi-sweet chocolate, broken into pieces
3 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp peppermint extract, divided
8 regular sized candy canes
PREPARATION
- Remove the wrappers from your candy canes and crush. My favorite method is placing them in a bag and hitting with my rolling pin as it allows me to control the size of the chunks. Set aside.
- Line the bottom and sides of a jelly roll pan with aluminum foil, making sure to smooth out wrinkles. Set aside.
- In a double boiler or microwave* melt 12 oz of white chocolate with 1 tsp of vegetable oil. Once melted stir in 1/2 tsp peppermint extract. Pour melted chocolate into the prepared pan and spread into a thin smooth layer. I find an offset spatula works best for this. Place the pan in the freezer for about 8 minutes or in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes; or untl almost completely set.**
- Melt the semi-sweet chocolate with 1 tsp vegetable oil. Pour the semi-sweet chocolate over the white chocolate layer and spread until smooth. Place back in the freezer for 8 minutes or the refrigerator for 10-15.
- Melt the remaining 12 oz of white chocolate and 1 tsp vegetable oil. Once melted stir in 1/2 tsp peppermint extract. Pour over the semi-sweet layer and spread until smooth. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes and very lightly press into the bark.
- Freeze or refrigerate the bark until completely hardened. Use the foil to lift the bark from the pan then peel the foil from the bark. Allow the bark to sit at room temperature about 15 minutes and cut into squares.
*To melt your chocolate in the microwave use a small heatproof bowl and melt in 15 second increments. Stir vigorously after each time, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
**If you allow the layer to set completely before adding the next layer of melted chocolate then the layers will separate upon cooling.
Georgia's Pampering 