Because I didn’t get home from San Francisco until the 23 and had a massive to-do list to check off before Christmas, this year was probably the saddest batch of Chrismas cookies I ever made: just peanut butter cookies, Super-Charge Me cookies, chocolate chip cookies and peppermint bark.
I guess four is still pretty good, but does anyone remember last year’s insanity?! Yeah, does not compare.
The irony of dessert is that the simplest stuff always seems to go the fastest. Most people prefer eating something comforting, recognizable and insanely bad for you than the fancy creations with candied orange peels or flax seeds. Case in point: this year, everyone couldn’t get enough peppermint bark. Myself included. And why not? Minty, chocolatey and seasonal, it’s an uber-simple recipe that I’ve perfected the technique to over the past seven-ish years. Why pay $24 for a tin of the Williams-Sonoma stuff when you’ve got this?
Peppermint Bark
Yields one 9×9 inch pan
Ingredients:
- 12 ounce package GOOD QUALITY dark chocolate chips (I love Ghirardelli)
- 12 ounce package white chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 4 crushed candy canes, or 1/4 cup Christmas-colored sprinkles
- Begin by lining a 9×9 inch pan or baking dish with aluminum foil.
- In a microwave-safe dish on 60% power, melt the dark chocolate chips for a minute at a time, stirring after each minute. Do not wait until all the chocolate melts on its own, or it will burn- instead, stir it frequently so that the warmer chips melt the cooler ones.
- Stir in the entire teaspoon of peppermint extract. (I only add peppermint to the dark chocolate layer, because stirring it into the white chocolate hides the sweet taste of it.)
- Pour the chocolate into the baking dish, and freeze for about 20 minutes, or until COMPLETELY firm. Touch the center of the pan to make sure it’s solid and cold.
- Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate chips using the same method- 60% power and stirring each minute. Careful, because white chocolate burns easily! Once melted, pour it over the dark chocolate and even things out with a spatula. Sprinkle the top with the crushed candy canes or sprinkles and return to freezer to solidify.
- Once things are completely frozen through, pull on the foil to remove the bark. Slam it on a counter or with the heel of a large knife to crush. Things tend to get messy
- Enjoy!
#55, Anna
And #77, Michelle
Congrats, ladies! Please send me your shipping info at uneviesaine at gmail dot com and I’ll get the DVDs out to you!
What item was the biggest hit on your dessert table this year?
That peppermint bark looks delicious! I think I would eat it all up right away.
I bet you can get all the Ghiradelli you want in the SF area! ….Peppermint bark is wonderful!
Great recipe! I actually made some peppermint bark this year and the recipe I used had me mix the peppermint into the white chocolate… and something was definitely off. I like that white chocolate flavor to pop! Will try mixing it into the dark chocolate next year.
I really wanted to make peppermint bark this year, but my mom had bought a ton for an earlier Christmas thing she threw so we just used that. It was the same thing with me, I didn’t get back from my vacation until the afternoon of the 22nd and the 23rd was our big party so it was a huge rush to get in all the dessert making.
The biggest hit at our dessert table was probably the rudolph cupcakes or the oreo cheesecake bites.
This looks so good and so perfect.
I could never get sick of chocolate, WHITE chocolate, barks, or…sprinkles!!!
And yes, I remember you bakestravaganza from last year. Amazing! But your spread this year doesn’t sound too shabby, either!
Looks delicious and will have to make an appearance next time I need to make a dessert! The hit of Christmas dinner was the dessert I made this year; white chocolate peppermint cheesecake.
I made peppermint cookie brittle this year, but I never got around to making peppermint bark. This sounds so good though! Would it be weird if I made it for New Years?
My family’s favourite cookie is my grandma’s shortbread. It’s addictive!
looks fantastic!! love peppermint bark! though I have never made it myself yet, one day I will
Mmmm peppermint bark! I think the biggest dessert hits for us were a chocolate cake with a strong coffee flavor that my sis made and bread pudding that I made!