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Holiday Peppermint Bark

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HOLIDAY PEPPERMINT BARK

Roberta Reynolds
Peppermint Bark is the ultimate Christmas candy in my book, full of chocolate, white chocolate, and candy canes. . But holy cow! It can cost up toward $30 a pound in many stores. Many have decided to take the bull by the horns and make their own, and here is my version. Rather than $30 per pound, you can make over 2 pounds for under $10 - not too shabby. Besides, it's delicious and you will have all of those smarty pants bragging rights that you made it yourself.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 30 pieces

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound good quality semi-sweet chocolate chopped into ¼ inch pieces or chocolate chips
  • 1 pound good quality semi-sweet chocolate chopped into ¼ inch pieces or chocolate chips
  • 4 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil divided
  • 4 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil divided
  • 1 pound good quality white chocolate chopped into ¼ inch pieces or white chocolate chips
  • 1 pound good quality white chocolate chopped into ¼ inch pieces or white chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract optional
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract optional
  • ½ cup chopped peppermint candies or candy canes

Instructions
 

  • Line an 18 x13 inch-cookie sheet with aluminum foil (Grilling Foil, which is nonstick, works well). Liberally spray with cooking spray.
  • Place semi-sweet chocolate and 2 tablespoons of the oil in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 20-second intervals until chocolate is melted.
  • Pour onto cookie sheet and smooth out into an even layer. Refrigerate until set (about 10 minutes).
  • When the semi-sweet layer is set, place white chocolate, 2 tablespoons oil and peppermint extract in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 20-second intervals until chocolate is melted. Pour over the semi-sweet chocolate and quickly spread in an even layer.
  • Sprinkle with chopped peppermint candies, and press into white chocolate as best as you can.
  • Place in refrigerator until firm.
  • Break or cut into pieces, your choice.
  • Store in the refrigerator.

To me, Peppermint Bark is the ultimate Christmas candy, full of Chocolate, White Chocolate with Peppermint, and Candy Canes. What could be better? I must confess to being unwilling to pay the small fortune it costs to purchase it, however. So I decided to take the bull by the horns and figure out how to make it myself. This resulted in a few semi-failures (all of which I ate), but now I’m at the point where I can unsqueamishly share all of the quirks and secrets of this super simple holiday treat.

You will have a couple of different ways to go in the crushed candy cane department – one simple and one not so much. If you are lucky enough to have access to a WinCo or other supermarket with bulk items, chances are quite good you can already find crushed peppermint candy in bulk – this is a very good thing. If you are not so lucky, we shall resort to doing things the old fashioned way, which is peeling candy canes by hand. Maybe it’s just me, but I usually end up breaking all the candy canes and being covered from head to foot with celephane which has the remarkable ability to stick to a person like glue. They look innocent, but they are not.

Let’s get that candy on there as fast as you can. I sprinkled in on, then took the back of a spatula and pressed them in firmly. They won’t all stick, but that’s OK. Really. Don’t fret over it.

And now, everything goes into the refrigerator to set up. This will take at least 30 minutes, but I like to wait for an hour or two just to make sure they layers have time to adhere to each other and also want to give the candy plenty of time to decide it wants to stay put for the long haul. At the end of the set-up time, remove from the refrigerator and the foil will peel right off the bottom of your creation. Using a big sharp knife, run it in lines down the width of the sheet, then just break off with your hands. If you want the ultimate rustic look, break the whole thing by hand. Remember: a rustic look is a very good thing when it comes to Peppermint Bark.

Let’s get that cookie plate out and be so proud of ourselves at what we accomplished at a fraction of the cost of the mass-produced stuff! Keep refrigerated until ready to devour!! The happiest of holidays to all of you and yours!! xoxoxo

Hello. I’m Roberta Reynolds.

I’m so glad you dropped in! Welcome to Bird’s Nest Bakery and Café, a collection of ‘made from scratch’, seasonal recipes developed in my home kitchen. I’ve been obsessed with creating the easiest and most delicious recipes possible since I could reach the top of a stove.

I hope you’ll find this site a welcome and relaxing place where you can come for inspiration and ideas. Take a look, have fun, and feel free to modify these recipes to suit your particular palate. It would make me so happy if you would share these recipes with friends and family. After all, cooking and baking are meant to be shared with those we care about. That’s what’s so much fun about it!