Nov 27, 2016

Peppermint Bark Candy

Peppermint Bark Candy makes a wonderful food gift for holiday gift giving. With just 3 ingredients, it is an incredibly easy recipe to make, as well as being festive and pretty. Everyone will love receiving this thoughtful gift from your kitchen!
Peppermint Bark Candy

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Sunday Supper

The #SundaySupper Tastemakers are recovering from our Thanksgiving food coma but, with Christmas right around the corner, there is no time to waste! We got right back in the kitchen to prepare for the next big holiday. This week we are sharing our favorite Homemade Holiday Food Gifts, because gifts from the kitchen are made with love and who doesn't like to receive a tasty treat?
Peppermint Bark Candy diy homemade gift box
When our daughter was home, we used to love getting in the kitchen and making gifts for our family and friends. One of the easiest things to make is a chocolate bark recipe. Bark recipes come in just about any flavor you can imagine, they are delicious, and fun to make too. The kids love to crunch up the candy topping, and melting chocolate is a good lesson in patience. Although it doesn't take long to melt chocolate (just ask anyone who's tried to buy chocolate during a FL summer and get it home before it turns into soup), if you heat chocolate too much too fast it will end up in a big hard ball that won't melt no matter what extreme measures you take!
Peppermint Bark Candy

Recipe Prep Tips

  • Be sure to read the label on the chocolate you buy. It's important to buy both the semi-sweet and white chocolate made with cocoa butter to ensure the layers stay together. I use Ghirardelli Premium Baking Bars for both. I avoid chocolate chips for this recipe, especially white chocolate chips. White chocolate chips are typically made with palm kernal oil or coconut oil instead of cocoa butter.
  • You can melt the chocolates using a double broiler or in the microwave. Using the microwave works just fine, takes less time, and makes less of a mess, so that is the route I go. If you use the microwave be sure to follow my directions so you don't end up with a big hard ball of chocolate mess.
  • Whatever you do, don't use chocolate you have leftover from last year! Is that even possible? I mean, chocolate doesn't last that long in my house, but if it sits around too long it will alter the recipe and might not melt properly, so buy fresh.
  • To crush up the peppermint candies I unwrap them and place them in a resealable plastic bag and then beat them with my rolling pin until they are very small. You can make the candies any size you like, but the smaller they are the easier it is to eat.
  • See step-by-step photos below the recipe




Peppermint Bark Candy

Life Tastes Good
Published 11/27/2016
Peppermint Bark Candy
Everyone will love receiving this thoughtful gift from your kitchen!

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces quality Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate made with cocoa butter
  • 6 ounces quality White Baking Chocolate made with cocoa butter
  • 10 peppermint candies, smashed into smithereens

Instructions

  1. Line an 8x8 square baking pan with parchment paper. Spray the bottom of the pan with cooking spray first to help the parchment paper stick and stay down. Be sure to use enough parchment so some hangs over the sides for easy handling.
  2. Break 6 ounces of semi-sweet baking chocolate into pieces and place in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on 50% power for 1 minute. Stir and then microwave again, on 50% power, for 30 seconds and stir until smooth. Microwave again, on 50% power, for 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Repeat the process as needed until the chocolate is smooth. Note: Microwave oven power varies, so you may need to keep microwaving for 30 second intervals until the chocolate is smooth. Be careful not to scorch the chocolate or it will seize up and never melt properly.
  3. Pour the melted chocolate into the prepared pan and gently spread evenly across the bottom of the pan. Allow to sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes until the chocolate begins to set. The surface of the chocolate will begin to look dry and satiny, but it will still be a little soft.
  4. Once the semi-sweet chocolate is ready, break 6 ounces of white baking chocolate into pieces and place in a microwave safe bowl. White chocolate is very sensitive, and melts much quicker, so we need to be more careful. Microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds. Stir and then microwave again, on 50% power, for 30 seconds and stir. Microwave again, on 50% power, for 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Repeat the process as needed until the chocolate is smooth. Be very careful not to scorch the white chocolate or it will seize and never melt properly.
  5. Pour the white chocolate over the semi-sweet chocolate and carefully spread the white chocolate to cover the semi-sweet. Try not to mix the two chocolates.
  6. Sprinkle crushed mints over top of the white chocolate to cover and refrigerate until the chocolate hardens enough to cut into pieces. About 15-30 minutes. Cut into squares with a chef's knife and enjoy!
Prep Time: 5 mins.
Cook time: 3 mins.
Total time: 8 mins.

NOTE: Times posted do not include resting time to allow the chocolate to harden in between layers and after adding the peppermints.


Step-By-Step Photos


Break up 6 ounces of quality semi-sweet chocolate and place in a microwave safe bowl
Break up 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate into microwave safe bowl
Microwave on 50% power for 1 minute and stir. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time until smooth, being sure to stir after each heating. Be careful not to scorch the chocolate.
Microwave semi-sweet chocolate 1 minute and then 30 seconds at a time until smooth
Pour the semi-sweet chocolate into parchment lined 8x8 pan and allow to rest at room temperature until the chocolate begins to harden. About 20-30 minutes
Pour semi-sweet chocolate into parchment lined baking pan
When the chocolate is ready the surface will look dry and satiny.
Allow semi-sweet chocolate to rest at room temperature until almost hardened. About 20-30 mins
Break up 6 ounces of quality white chocolate and place in a microwave safe bowl
Break up 6 ounces quality white chocolate into microwave safe bowl
Microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds at a time until smooth, being sure to stir after each heating. Be careful not to scorch the chocolate.
Microwave on 50% power in 30 second intervals until smooth
Pour white chocolate over semi-sweet cover and spread to cover, being careful not to mix the chocolates.
Pour white chocolate over semi-sweet chocolate and spread to cover
To smash the peppermints to smithereens, I place 10 of them in a resealable plastic bag and use my rolling pin. A mallet or hammer will work too. Be careful not to smash your fingers or break your countertop!
Smash peppermint candies into smithereens
Sprinkle the crushed peppermints over top of the white chocolate and refrigerate until the chocolate is hardened. About 15-30 minutes.
Sprinkle peppermint candy over top of white chocolate layer evenly & refrigerate about 15-30 minutes until hardened

5 comments:

  1. LOVE this double-decker peppermint bark!! My family will, too.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I make peppermint bark every year. You are absolutely right that it's all about using the best quality chocolate!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe. Peppermint Bark is always a family favorite. Great tips about the chocolate to buy!

    ReplyDelete

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