Peppermint Bark

When you have baked 1200 cookies (and counting) in the past two weeks, sometimes, you just don't want to bake anything else.  But I'm still in the mood for some Christmasy stuff. I wanted something easy, yet delicious, to make to ring in the Christmas season.  What's tasty and no-bake?  Peppermint Bark. Aw, yeah.

You'd think the process is easy, no? Melt some dark chocolate in a double boiler, spread the melted chocolate in a jelly roll pan and let set.  Repeat with white chocolate, sprinkle with peppermint. Done and done, right?

Wrong.

For those of you who have ever tried to melt white chocolate, you'll know that it is not a fun process.  You stand over the double boiler, stirring occasionally, jumping at the first sight of smeared chocolate.  Slowly but surely, the chopped chocolate becomes a smooth and spreadable ivory ocean, and you pat yourself on the back for a job well done.  You turn around to quickly grab your jelly roll pan and turn back to the oven to grab the chocolate. You grab your spatula and begin to coax the chocolate out of the bowl and into the jelly roll pan.

But what's this? Your once smooth chocolate has turned into a clumpy, chalky mess!  You turned your back too long and now it is ruined! Ruined, I say!  So much for no-bake, no-stress!

The moral of the story is, don't turn your back on white chocolate. It knows the hate it receives from people who say it is "not chocolate". White chocolate is not stupid.  It will get it's revenge.  Don't hate the player. Hate the game. 

Peppermint Bark Recipe

12 oz. good quality dark chocolate, chopped finely

12 oz. good quality white chocolate, chopped finely

2 teaspoons peppermint extract, divided

Crushed Peppermint Candies

Line a 9 x 13 inch cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.

Position a heatproof bowl above a pot of simmering water.  Place the dark chocolate in the bowl and stir occasionally until melted. Once the chocolate is almost completely melted, add 1 teaspoon peppermint extract and stir to combine. 

When the chocolate is completely melted, remove the bowl from the heat and pour chocolate onto lined cookie sheet.  Let set for at least 15 minutes in the refrigerator.

In a separate heatproof bowl (or you can use the same one and wash it out but make sure it is completely dry), repeat process with white chocolate. Add remaining peppermint extract and mix to combine.  As soon as the chocolate has melted, remove from heat and, working quickly, spread the chocolate over the set dark chocolate.  Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies.  Place in refrigerator until firm. Break into pieces and serve, or store in a cool place.

Comments

[Jen]

I've never worked with white chocolate before. Thanks for the warning! I love peppermint bark!

[Susan]

This looks great Teanna! I haven't made it using both white & dark beofre - I'll have to try it!
Thanks for the advice!

[jenn (Bread + Butter)]

Yum!! I used to buy the peppermint bark from Williams-Sonoma. I've got to try making my own.

[Leslie]

I'll admit it, I'm guilty! But I love white chocolate in peppermint bark so maybe I should stop saying snide things about it and it will behave for me. This looks delicious!

[Katrina]

I hate it when that happens. I ruined some white chocolate with food coloring once. Seized right up! Sigh.
But your bark looks great.

[grace]

once you make this about 21 times, it becomes an automatic process, which is both good and bad. good for the sugar-craving nerve cells but bad for the fat-absorbing rear end area. :)

[Andrea@WellnessNotes]

Your peppermint bark looks amazing! I actually never thought it'd be easy to make. And I'm pretty sure I'd mess it up...

[Jennifer]

Williams-Sonoma ain't got nothin on you....That bark looks AWESOME!!!!!

[Margot]

That looks fantastic! I had a terrible time melting white chocolate last year when I tried to make peppermint bark, ugh. I've had good luck with Guittard white chocolate discs, so I might try it again this year.

[Chaitali]

Wow..I never knew peppermint bark was so easy to make!
But Im not too fond of white chocolate so I think I'll just stick with the dark chocolate and peppermint and maybe sprinkle some mini white chocolate chips on top.

[Nancy/n.o.e]

I gotta say, I hate the player! But the one place I tolerate it is in bark. Yours looks great!!

[Caitlin]

Guilty as charged - I hate white chocolate, so I just make bark with dark and milk chocolate layers instead :) Your peppermint bark looks fabulous though!

[Barbara]

Nothing prettier than peppermint bark! Odd how so many people don't like white chocolate. I'm one of them but then always get tempted to try white chocolate again when I see a recipe like this. The white with peppermints is lovely.

[Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction]

Love your peppermint bark... One of my absolute favorites for the holidays! I always have the same problem with white chocolate, but it's worth the effort in the end!

[ingrid]

I feel ya! Last year I made this but like a dummy tried melting white chips. You know the ones I'm talking about, that have NO cocoa butter and don't really melt? I wasted two bags of those chips before I realized my mistake! Grrr!
~ingrid

[Bianca @south bay rants n raves]

We're going to attempt to make this for my party this weekend... my husband just doesn't know yet!

[Line Merrette]

Should I put some peppermint essence in the dark chocolate? You could add green colouring in the white, but I do not like colouring.

[MBT Shoes]

It's so nice to have you do all of the research for us. It makes our decision making so much easier!! Thanks.

[olympic london accommodations]

OMG. This is amazing. The information shows that it is cookies, but what it inside. Can you give me the recipe. Thanks

[supra for cheap]

Dad went out to make money to buy my baby a lot a lot of good food.