This Peppermint Bark is one of the quickest and most delicious holiday candies you can make! Chocolate and peppermint are the perfect dessert combination.
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Easy Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark
This layered peppermint bark is a delectable blend of dark chocolate, white chocolate, and peppermint. It’s a holiday tradition in our family. Not only is it delicious to snack on, it makes a scrumptious gift for friends and neighbors.
The kids and I like to bake up adorable Christmas cookies, almond roca and peppermint bark during winter break each year. I’m not sure, but I think there might be more eating of the treats than finished goodies for gifting, but it’s a blast doing it and it brings the family together.
Best Way to Make Peppermint Bark
This peppermint bark is an insanely simple candy to make! Just melt dark chocolate, infuse it with some peppermint extract, place it in a baking pan and let it set in the refrigerator. Top it with melted white chocolate, then finished with a sprinkle of candy cane pieces. Break into pieces and enjoy! The layers of the dark and white chocolate and the pop of peppermint from the candy canes are the perfect combination.
It’s important to note, this recipe is best using a high quality white chocolate (dark chocolate, too) Brands like Ghirardelli, Lindt, Callebaut or Valrhona work well. Although they’re great for recipes like Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies, I don’t advise using white chocolate chips in this Peppermint Bark recipe.
Dark and white chocolate with peppermint bits sprinkled on top. Yummy! So pretty, and great for gift giving.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces high quality white chocolate, broken into pieces
- 12 ounces high quality dark chocolate, broken into pieces
- 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract (more if you prefer a strong peppermint flavor)
- 3 regular size candy canes, crushed
Instructions
- Line a 9x12 pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Smooth out any wrinkles and set aside.
- Melt the dark chocolate (use the method you prefer, either double boiler, or microwave.) In microwave, cook 30 seconds in a heat-proof bowl, stir and repeat until you have a smooth consistency. Stirring occasionally, until completely smooth.
- Mix in peppermint extract, then spread the melted chocolate in an even layer in the prepared pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the white chocolate.
- Place the white chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and follow instructions for melting as above.
- While it's still slightly soft, remove the pan from the refrigerator and spread the melted white chocolate in an even layer on top of the dark chocolate layer. Immediately sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top of the melted white chocolate and gently press into the chocolate to make it stick. Refrigerate until complete hard and set, at least 30 minutes. Store the bark in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Notes
It's best to use high quality chocolate in this recipe.
Peppermint Bark Helpful Tips
This recipe is very versatile. You can use semi sweet, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate…it all tastes delicious!
To make sure the chocolates “stick” together, it’s best to not let the dark chocolate harden completely before layering on the white chocolate.
To break the candy canes into pieces either pulse in your food processor or place them in a Ziploc bag and smash with a kitchen mallet or rolling pin.
Also, if you want a more polished look for your peppermint bark, after you break the candy canes into pieces, use a fine strainer and remove all the candy dust. The larger pieces make a more attractive topping.
This is so easy and fun to make! It tastes great and looks pretty, especially if you’re giving it for gifts!
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I LOVE peppermint bark and can’t wait to make a batch of this!
It’s an easy recipe, so you can make it anytime. If you’re entertaining, make it ahead and then take it out of the fridge before guests arrive and you’re all set!
Erin, I haven’t made bark candy for years. When I made desserts for fine dining restaurants I would make up patches of different types of bark that they could use to decorate the desserts. This one is perfect! It doesn’t need to dress up a dessert, it stands on its own. I bet it’s absolutely delicious.
How clever! Decorating dessert with bark sounds delicious and pretty! This bark does stand on its own. I know that if you’re a peppermint lover, you can’t pass it up!
Not only do these sound delicious but they look so pretty as well ! It would be really lovely to take as a gift if you attended a dinner party – I bet that would go down very well 🙂
Yes, I agree they are pretty and they go down very well! Plus, peppermint just screams Christmas and holiday cheer.