This addictive Christmas treat is so easy to make at home so now you can have an endless amount of dark and white chocolate peppermint bark always available!
I remember my first time trying peppermint bark, I think it was a gift from someone and it came from Williams Sonoma. I'd say it was addictive but that'd be an understatement!
Chocolate peppermint bark is what Christmas is all about and now you can find it in other stores like Trader Joe's and Cost Plus World Market.
Or you could easily just make it yourself and have it on hand 24-7. That might be the worst thing I could do because I can't stop at one piece, The combination of both types of chocolate and then the peppermint hit at the end makes it so good!
It's also a good idea for gift giving but only if you don't finish it yourself first.
Why is peppermint bark so popular?
With my two favorite types of chocolate combined into one bite, it seems like an easy candy to fall in love with but here are some other reasons to make this popular Christmas treat.
- It's easy to make! With only four ingredients you won't be running around the store frantically searching for stuff. In fact all of the ingredients can be found in the same aisle where the baking ingredients are kept.
- It means Christmas is officially on its way!
- You don't need to be precise when making peppermint bark. Once it has dried you can smash It up in any old way you like. Some pieces will be big and some smaller for the tines that you know you shouldn't eat any more but it's just a tiny piece. It's very forgiving.
- It makes great gifts! Use it for gifts to teachers or neighbors.
What do I need to make this recipe?
- Dark chocolate. I like Ghirardelli's 72% cacao dark chocolate chips.
- White chocolate- Unlike dark chocolate, white chocolate is mostly cocoa butter, sugar and milk solids. It has no cocoa solids which you can find in regular milk and dark chocolate..
- Peppermint candies. Candy canes or peppermint candies will both work
- Peppermint extract. Be careful, too much extract can produce an overly strong flavor.
FAQ's about this peppermint bark recipe
My two layers of chocolate separated and did not stick well to each other. This happened to me many times when I began to make peppermint bark and I think it was because I left the first layer of dark chocolate in the fridge for too long.
When I poured the white chocolate on top, the temperature change would shock the white chocolate and make it diffucult to adhere to the cold hard dark chocolate. Some recipes call for no fridge time at all but I find that the chocolate can take a while to set.
I place my dark chocolate in the fridge for about two minutes after its been added to the pan. This gives it a quick cool down but doesn't make it cold enough to harden it completely.
The dark chocolate layer can still be a little wet when you pour the white chocolate on top, just don't press down too much or you may mix them together. Once the white layer is on top then you can place the pan into the fridge to set.
Bring the peppermint bark to room temperature before breaking into pieces.
Can I use milk chocolate on top instead of dark chocolate? Yes you can but try and use the best quality chocolate you can find.
Does the peppermint bark need to be refrigerated for storage? No. After the two layers of chocolate have cooled and set, you can keep this at room temperature in a sealed container.
How long will my bark last for? 4-5 days.
How do I cut my peppermint bark? Let the bark come to room temperature before either just breaking into pieces by hand or cutting it into squares using a sharp chopping knife.
How do you melt chocolate in a microwave? Chocolate is a very fragile ingredient when it come to heat and moisture. When using a microwave to melt it, make sure to do it in short bursts of 20 seconds, stirring the chocolate after each time until smooth.
How do you melt chocolate in a double boiler? Fill a small pot with about two inches of water on the bottom and bring it to a simmer. Place your chocolate in a heat proof bowl that's large enough to sit on top of the pot without touching the water.
Turn the heat to low and stir the chocolate until melted. The heat from the water will gently melt the chocolate.
.png)
