I had actually never tasted peppermint bark until several years ago when Megan made this recipe as a gift for some friends.  When I tasted this stuff I think I may have literally put my entire face in the container to consume as many pieces as possible at once.  So delicious.  And it seems super fancy.  So you can make it as a gift and people can think you are fancy and know how to use candy thermometers.  I don’t even know what a candy thermometer looks like and my peppermint bark turns out DELICIOUS every year.

What you’ll need:

– 17 ounces white chocolate (I used Ghirardelli’s), finely chopped

– 30 peppermint candies, coarsely chopped (I used to use a hammer to crush them but now I use my Cuisinart)

– 7 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (I actually used chocolate chips)

– 6 tablespoons whipping cream

– 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract (Note to future self: this stuff is not to be eaten by itself, total disgust)

What you’ll do:

Start out with a large baking sheet and turn it over.  Cover the baking sheet with tinfoil and draw a 12″ x 9″ rectangle on the foil.  I actually made the rectangle too small and therefore the bark too thick but I haven’t had any complaints.  Chop up the white chocolate into small pieces and place in a metal saucepan.  Place the small saucepan over a large saucepan with a small amount of boiling water, but don’t let the bottom of the small saucepan touch the water.  Stir until the white chocolate melts.  Pour a little over half of the white chocolate onto the baking sheet and spread so it covers the rectangle.  Sprinkle crushed peppermint candies on top.  Put in the freezer for about 15 minutes.

Put bittersweet chocolate, whipping cream, and peppermint extract in a medium saucepan and heat on medium-low until melted.  Cool for about 5 minutes.  To be honest, I didn’t let it cool.  Oops.  Use spatula and spread evenly over the bittersweet chocolate over the white chocolate rectangle.  Put in freezer for about 25 minutes.

Reheat the left over white chocolate over the simmering water.  Spread the rest of the white chocolate evenly over the bittersweet chocolate layer.  Quickly sprinkle with the remaining crushed peppermints.  Place in the freezer for 20 minutes.  Cut into pieces and send to my address.  🙂 The recipe tells you a fancy way to cut the pieces but I didn’t do that and they still came out ok.  Feel free to try though.

Also, just realized a big tip that I of course forgot to use.  Lightly score the hardened chocolate before pouring another layer on top because it helps keep the layers together.  No biggie if you don’t, but I think it does help.  If you remember of course.

P.S. CONGRATULATIONS to our Christmas Giveaway Winner Ms. Lauren Tate!!  We hope the goodies make your holidays warm and snuggly!