Peppermint Bark

I apologize for what I'm sure will be a series of late "Christmas-Goodies" posts; life got so hectic pre-holidays with end-of-semester grading and Dan's job application process, packing for several trips over the break and trying to finish up last minute activities--I was just never able to post some of my new favorite treats. I even forgot to take pictures of a few, so I guess I'll just have to make them again!

This peppermint bark was inspired by--what else?--a Williams-Sonoma catalog. Dan was leafing through it one day and brought it to my desk, page folded back to reveal a photo of their signature bark, and said to me, "I want you to try to make this." Anything for the stressed but proud newly-minted Ph.D. in our house; I set to work finding a recipe. It was not hard--plenty of similar recipes exist online. I found a few, but the one that caught my eye used peppermint extract in the white chocolate layer, which not only adds to the overall freshening effect, but also cuts the sweetness of the white chocolate. I prefer a mixture of semi-sweet and milk chocolate for the bottom layer, but do what you like best. And as for chopping the peppermint candies, well, you can crush candy canes in a plastic bag with a rolling pin, but since I happened to have individually wrapped peppermints, I just chopped them with a knife, realizing too late that I had not one but two (!) perfectly good food processors that could have done the job. 

This certainly looks like the holidays, but it would be a wonderful after-dinner treat or hostess gift at any dinner party, any time of year. And the possible variations are endless. You could use this same concept and instead of peppermint extract and peppermint candies, sprinkle dried fruits and nuts over the top and mix orange extract in the white chocolate layer. Dried cherries or cranberries and pistachios would be wonderful, or perhaps even dried pineapple and toasted coconut with macadamia nuts. You don't have to layer them either--white or dark chocolate alone would still be delicious. Have fun, and use your imagination! This could be your new signature: The Girl With the Chocolate Bark. (Any Confessions of a Shopaholic fans out there?)

Peppermint Bark (like Williams-Sonoma's)

12 oz. chocolate chips (I used 10 oz. semi-sweet and 2 oz. milk chocolate)

14 oz. white chocolate chips

1/2 tsp. peppermint extract

1/2 cup chopped peppermint candies (use a sharp knife or a food processor)

1. Line a 13 x 9-inch pan with foil, leaving some hanging over the sides. Smooth it out on sides and bottom. Spray with cooking spray.

2. Melt semi-sweet chocolate chips in a double boiler or microwave until almost melted. Pour into prepared pan and smooth with a spatula. Chill for 30 minutes or until set.

3. Melt white chocolate chips in a double boiler; whisk and scrape bottom of bowl periodically. When the chips are mostly melted, stir in the peppermint extract. Take off the double boiler and allow to cool for several minutes, stirring a bit, before pouring onto the chilled chocolate layer. 

4. Working quickly, pour onto the chilled chocolate layer, smoothing with a spatula. Pour the chopped peppermint candies evenly over the top and chill a few hours until set.

5. To cut, either allow to come closer to room temperature and slice with a knife, or, to make it look more rustic, cut it straight out of the refrigerator using a knife tip as a chisel and just sort of break it apart into uneven pieces. I prefer this effect.