Peppermint Bark
Only 3 ingredients, this super simple treat is festive and a total crowdpleaser! NOTE: prep time includes about 15 minutes work and 1 hour 15 minutes cooling time.
Ingredients
- 1 12 oz bag Dark Chocolate Chips
- 2 4.4 oz bars White Chocolate alternatively you could use a 12oz bag of white chocolate chips. I just find that the white chocolate bars melt easier for some reason
- 12-14 full size peppermint candy canes
Instructions
- Line a half size baking sheet (approximately 10x15) with parchment paper. If you don't have a half size just line a baking sheet with parchment paper and don't use the entire sheet when spreading the chocolate.
Crush the candy canes
- There a many ways to do this but I found this the easiest: Place candy cane pieces in a quart size ziploc bag, seal bag and lie flat on a table or countertop. Use a rolling pin to roll over the candy canes and crush them into pieces.
Layer 1: Dark Chocolate
- Using a double boiler*, bring the water in the bottom saucepan to just simmering, reduce heat to low and add dark chocolate chips to the top pan. Stirring frequently, let the chips slowly melt, until super smooth. Takes about 5 minutes. Do not rush this process -- if the chips are over too high heat or heat too quickly they will "over cook" and harden a bit.
- *IF YOU DON"T HAVE A DOUBLE BOILER, bring a small amount of water to just simmering in a stockpot or small pan. Turn off heat. Place chocolate in a heatproof glass bowl,place bowl directly in water and stir chocolate while it slowly melts. If it's not melting enough, leave the water on a low simmer.
- When melted and smooth, pour chocolate onto prepared baking sheet and use a spatula to spread chocolate in an even layer. (I usually leave about an inch border around the outside of the baking sheet)
- Let chocolate layer cool either outside or in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
Layer 2: White Chocolate
- Using a similar process as the dark chocolate, melt the white chocolate. Note: White chocolate tends to seize up or harden quicker than other chocolate so be sure to stir frequently and make sure the heat is on low.
- When melted lift pan out of water and dry the bottom of the pan a bit so it doesn't drip hot water on the chocolate layer when you pour the white chocolate.
- Pour melted white chocolate over cooled dark chocolate layer and spread evenly. I like to leave a little bit of the dark chocolate as a border around the edge but that is just personal preference.
Sprinkle crushed candy canes over warm white chocolate immediately and press gently into the white chocolate.
Let peppermint bark cool and set for at least an hour. I have set mine outside or in the freezer or fridge when I want to cooler quicker.
Break bark into pieces and enjoy!
Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in a cool place.
Tried this recipe?Mention @HealthyGFFamily or tag #HealthyGFFamily!
I just made this and it was the easiest recipe! I am not a good baker, but the instructions were easy to follow and my peppermint bark turned out great!
Yay! So happy to hear it turned out great and that you found the recipe to be easy! Happy Holidays!
Made this Peppermint Bark last week and it was so easy and quick to make, the combination of dark and white chocolate with the crushed candy canes
it just divine. Didn’t last very long with 3 teenagers in the house. Bought some more chocolate to make more….. ! Thanks for this easy recipe Karen. Happy Holidays to you and your family !
Thanks Meg! So happy you found it easy to make and that your family loved it! I had to make more than one batch too 🙂 Happy Holidays!
Easy, festive and decadent recipe! Perhaps we used to much peppermint, but I found some of it did not ‘stick’ the the chocolate. Have you tried mixing in some of the peppermint with the white chocolate? Do you think that would help?
Hi Barbara! Thanks for the feedback. Some of it does naturally fall off if it is overlapping other candy cane pieces rather than sticking to the chocolate, but if is placed on the warm white chocolate, most of it should stay on. I’ve never mixed it in with the white chocolate — It would probably taste great but you would want to save some pieces of candy cane for the top so that it looked festive as well.