Ingredients
12 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
12 oz. white chocolate, chopped
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
8 candy canes, crushed
Preparation
Step 1Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Fill the bottom of a large pot with 3” water and bring to simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, then place a large heatproof bowl on top. Add semi-sweet chocolate and stir occasionally until chocolate has melted. Stir in extract. Pour into prepared baking sheet and spread into an even layer with an offset spatula. Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes. Step 2Over the same pot of barely simmering water, place another large heatproof bowl. Add white chocolate and stir until melted. Pour over set semi-sweet chocolate then top immediately with candy canes. Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes.
What is peppermint bark? Peppermint bark is a holiday treat made with two types of chocolate—either semisweet or dark and white—and chopped candy canes. Williams-Sonoma is basically famous for theirs at this point, and for good reason—it’s delicious. But, this peppermint bark is so easy to make that once you do it, you can’t really justify paying for it. How do I melt chocolate? • Microwave: Place the chocolate chips or baking pieces in a large heatproof bowl and microwave on low in increments of 30 seconds. Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir between each increment. We’re using a lot of chocolate chips here, so you’ll want to keep stirring to make sure the ones on the bottom get melted, not burnt. • Stovetop: The easiest way to melt chocolate chips—especially this many—is using a double boiler on the stovetop. Double boiler sounds fancy, but it’s not. It just means you place a glass bowl on top of some simmering water so that the steam melts the chocolate. You just want to avoid getting water in the bowl—the chocolate will seize!
How long does peppermint bark take to set? Once you pour over the melted chocolates onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle the bark with candy canes, you just need to refrigerate the bark for 20 minutes, or until it’s firm. If you’re in a real rush, you can pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes. How do I break it up? Once the bark has completely set, for a more rustic look, break it apart with your hands. If it is too thick to break with your hands, the flat side of a meat mallet should do the trick. For cleaner cuts (hello gift basket!) use a sharp knife that has been dipped in hot water and dried. Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
