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Desserts

Peppermint Bark

Peppermint bark is a two-layer slab of dark and white chocolate topped with crushed candy canes, broken into shards for holiday gifts.
Recipe Peppermint Bark
  • Difficulty Easy
  • Preparation 20 minutes
  • Servings for about 24 pieces

Peppermint bark is a simple American Christmas candy: a thin layer of dark chocolate flavored with peppermint, a layer of white chocolate over it and a scattering of crushed candy canes, left to set and then broken into irregular shards.

Chocolate bark with peppermint candy was already made in the United States in the 1960s, but it became a seasonal classic after the cookware chain Williams Sonoma began selling its version in 1998. Today it is one of the most common homemade Christmas gifts, packed in tins and cellophane bags.

It needs no oven and no special skill, only good chocolate melted gently.

Ingredients for about 24 pieces

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Method

  1. Put the candy canes in a freezer bag and crush them with a rolling pin into small pieces, about the size of a pea. Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment.
  2. Put the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, without letting the bowl touch the water, and stir until it has just melted; or melt it in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring each time. Take it off the heat and stir in the peppermint extract.
  3. Pour the chocolate onto the parchment and spread it with a spatula into a rectangle about 20 x 30 cm (8 x 12 inch). Leave it at cool room temperature for about 20 minutes, or 10 minutes in the fridge, until it has set but still feels slightly tacky.
  4. Melt the white chocolate in the same way, over very gentle heat, just until smooth. Stir in half of the crushed candy canes and spread the white chocolate evenly over the dark layer, right to the edges.
  5. Scatter the rest of the candy over the top and press it in lightly with your hand. Let the bark harden completely, about 1 hour at cool room temperature or 30 minutes in the fridge, then break it into irregular pieces or cut it with a large knife. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!

Variations and Alternatives

Use semisweet or milk chocolate for the bottom layer for a sweeter bark. The peppermint extract can go into the white layer instead of the dark one, or be left out for a milder flavor. Crushed hard peppermint candies work in place of candy canes.

Tips

Choose bar or block chocolate, not chocolate chips, which melt into a thicker paste. Melt both chocolates over very low heat and keep every drop of water away, or the chocolate will seize; white chocolate scorches easily, so take it off the heat while a few pieces are still whole and stir until smooth. The dark layer should be set but still slightly tacky when you add the white one, or the layers will separate when you break the bark. For a glossy bark that snaps cleanly and keeps well at room temperature, temper the chocolate; untempered bark tastes just as good but is softer and is best kept cool. Candy canes and chocolate are usually gluten-free, but check the labels.

Storage

Keep the bark in an airtight container, with parchment between the layers, in a cool place for up to 1 week, or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Humidity makes the candy canes sticky, so close gift bags and tins tightly.

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