Peppermint Bark
{photo via flickr}
About this time every year I make peppermint bark for friends and family. It makes for a delightful, delicious gift and it’s super easy to prepare.
Here’s what you’ll need:
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Chocolate, lots of it, in equal amounts dark (bittersweet) and white. Get the best kind you can afford, as this will really determine whether the final product is outrageously delicious or simply extremely yummy. I like Callebaut brand, which you can find at Whole Foods in big 1 pound bricks for about $10-12 each. Trader Joes sells huge chunks of Ghiradelli for a good bit less money, but I have obtained the best results with the Callebaut. When you buy dark chocolate, check the ingredients. The best, most authentic brands should contain only cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, sugar, lecithin, and vanilla.
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Peppermint extract (avoid imitations).
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Candy canes.
Here’s what you do:
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Chop the chocolate into large pieces. A serrated bread knife does a great job on big chunks of chocolate. Or use a hammer and bash away.
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Break up the candy canes into little fragments. I unwrap them, place them in a heavy duty plastic bag, and smash them with a hammer or rolling pin. You don’t want a fine dust, but you also don’t want any pieces bigger than, say, a raisin.
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Melt the chocolates separately. The recommended method is in a bowl over a pot of simmering water. Using the microwave is doable, but you can scorch (ruin) the chocolate if you’re not careful.
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Add some peppermint extract to each bowl of molten chocolate, up to maybe ½ tsp, and stir. It doesn’t take much. This is by far the best step because you’ll need to keep tasting the chocolates to gauge the level of minty flavor.
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Line a 13×9 casserole pan or two with parchment paper, making sure the parchment extends up the sides of the pan.
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Pour the molten dark chocolate into the pan to form a thin layer, maybe 1/8” thick. Place the pan in the freezer for 5-10 minutes until the chocolate has cooled off, but don’t wait until it’s rock hard. Then pour the molten white chocolate on top. Sprinkle the top liberally with the candy cane shards. Place it back in the freezer and you’re done.
When it’s rock hard you can take it out of the pan and break it into big irregular chunks by hand or again with a hammer.
The best way by far (really the only way) to store the finished product is in the freezer. It will last for a year or longer if you can bear to keep it out of your belly. It also tastes best right out of the freezer, but your teeth might prefer it not quite as hard.
Looks delicious. I LOVE peppermint bark and it is so expensive to purchase so making it is a great option. If you are looking for a new way to use the bark try it in place of chocolate chips in a chocolate chip cookie recipe. Check out the one on my blog: http://hiphostess.wordpress.com/2008/12/23/peppermint-bark-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Thanks for the post!