Peppermint Bark

Chocolate 10 oz – dark or semi-sweet (See Notes)

White Chocolate 10 oz

Peppermint extract ¼ - ½ tsp (See Notes)

Crushed Candy Canes ½ - ¾ cup (12 mini candy canes are about ½ cup) (see Notes)

Prepare your surface for pouring the chocolate. You can just use a sheet of tin foil or parchment paper. Or you can use an 11 x 7 inch baking pan lined with tin foil or parchment paper. (This is my preference so I have control over how thick or thin it is.)

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, a heavy saucepan or the microwave. (See Notes)

Remove from heat & add peppermint extract.

Pour onto prepared surface or into prepared pan.

If it doesn’t spread out on it’s own, gently tilt the pan back & forth to spread it evenly. Or you can use a spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it around.

Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.

Melt white chocolate in a double boiler, a heavy saucepan or the microwave. (See Notes)

Remove from heat.

Options:

1.     Stir crushed candy canes into melted chocolate.

            Pour over chocolate base.

2.     Pour over chocolate base.

Sprinkle crushed candy canes on top & gently press into chocolate

3.     Stir some of crushed candy canes into melted chocolate.

Pour over chocolate base.

Sprinkle remaining crushed candy canes on top & gently press into chocolate

Sometimes the white chocolate is a little thick. Gently spread it until it’s even. Work as quickly as you can, the warm white chocolate will cause the chocolate to become soft & it will tint/mix in with your white chocolate.

Refrigerate at least 30 minutes until set.

Remove from pan or parchment paper & place onto cutting board.

Cut or break into pieces.

This part can create quite a few crumbs. I save them & use them as ice cream topping!

 Stores well in airtight container in refrigerator.

Notes:

For the chocolate, I recommend using good chocolate. It melts better & has a better overall consistency. You can use chips, a bar chopped up or melting wafers. I use Ghiradelli melting wafers, but use your personal favorite! (You may be able to find them at your local grocery store, but I get mine at Target! You can also order them on amazon – but they are much more expensive there, for some unknown reason – haha!)

 I like to melt the chocolate in a double boiler. But if you don’t have one, a heavy saucepan or the microwave work too – just be careful that you don’t burn the chocolate (the white chocolate burns especially easy). If you use a saucepan, just stir constantly until it is melted. And if you use the microwave, just heat in 15 second increments & stir in between each time.

This recipe has flexibility to it. Like how finely you break up your candy canes. If you like very fine peppermint in your chocolate, smash away! Or if you prefer the pieces to be a little bigger, just don’t smash so much. The same goes for the amount of crushed candy cane you use – depends or your preference. How much peppermint extract you use is also a personal choice, depending on how strong you want the peppermint flavor to be.

I use the flat side of a kitchen mallet. But you can use a rolling pin or even the back of a sturdy serving spoon!