Well this peppermint Bark is the ultimate Christmas goodie of all times. With layers of smooth and silky quality white and semi sweet chocolate then topped off with the crunch of candy canes. The perfect gift for giving, and to snack on during the holidays. I always put these on my cookie trays. I love the look and the taste of these beauties.
You will only need a few ingredients white chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, candy canes, and peppermint extract. There are not many ingredients so use good ingredients. Do not use chocolate chips. You want good quality chocolate such as Lindt or Baker's which make these silky smooth. Believe me and make these and write these on your recipe cards forever, you will love them.
The easiest way to do this is to chop up the chocolate and melt separately, and layer them on top of one another. Make sure you let the layers cool completely in between layering. There are three layers of chocolate; a top and bottom layer of white chocolate. Then top off with crushed candy canes.
Ingredients :
12 ounces good quality white chocolate bars, divided , broken into pieces
6 ounces good quality semi sweet chocolate bars, broken into pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable or canola oil.
3-4 candy canes, broken into small pieces, crushed not to finely, just small pieces
Directions:
1. Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch or 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and smooth out any wrinkles then set aside.
2. Two ways you can melt the chocolate. You may use a double boiler over just barely simmering water or you may use the microwave. The double boiler is easier, but the microwave is a little more convenient for most people, so these directions are for a microwave. Thats what I used. If you have a double boiler, you probably know how to use it! And you can use it for this chocolate melting.
3. It is very important to melt the chocolate it in small batches and stir frequently. Chocolate seizes so fast, so easily. Melt 1/2 teaspoon of oil with 6 ounces of the white chocolate in a small glass bowl. I recommend a glass bowl because you can see if there is any seizing on the sides. Melt in 15 second increments, stirring vigorously with a rubber spatula after each increment, until completely melted and smooth. Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula to avoid scorching. Once melted, stir in 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract. Pour melted white chocolate into the prepared baking pan, spreading with an offset spatula into a thin smooth layer. Place the baking pan in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or the freezer for 15 minutes; or until completely set, this may take longer than 20 minutes. Up to 30 minutes.
4. Place the semi-sweet chocolate and 1/2 teaspoon of oil into a smaller glass bowl (or the double boiler if using that). Melt in 15 second increments, stirring vigorously with a rubber spatula after each increment, until completely melted and smooth. Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula to avoid scorching. Once melted, stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract. Pour all of the semi-sweet chocolate over the hardened white chocolate layer. Spread into a smooth layer. Place the baking pan back in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or the freezer for 15 minutes; or longer until completely set, maybe 20-35 minutes. Once hardened, remove from the refrigerator.
5. Place the remaining white chocolate and 1/2 teaspoon oil in a small glass bowl and melt according to the melting directions in previous steps. Pour over the hardened bark layers and spread into a smooth layer. (This layer will not have peppermint extract.) Sprinkle with crushed candy canes to crush, I usually use the food processor or place the candy canes in a sealed ziplock bag and bang down hard with a rolling pin until crushed.
6. Refrigerate the bark until completely hardened. Once hardened, remove from the pan and peel off the foil or parchment. Break into pieces as large or as small as you want or cut into bars. To do so, remove from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature to slightly soften for 10-15 minutes. Use a very sharp knife and cut. Store bark in the refrigerator. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. The bark can be left at room temperature but may get a little soft.
recipe and photos from:http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2014/11/22/peppermint-bark/
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