Noreen's Kitchen

Peppermint oil is used to flavor this bark.  You don't want to use extract when you use good chocolate because it will cause the chocolate to seize when you mix it in.  You can use almond bark or candy melts to make the bark, and in that case you can use the extract, however you are sacrificing quality when you use those very low quality melting chocolates.  They are not real chocolate and they have been pre tempered so you will have a lot of snap, and a lot of waxiness in your finished product.  So to flavor good chocolate you want to stick with peppermint oil.  You can find this in the cake decorating section of the big box store or craft store.  I found mine in the holiday section of Walmart where they have the seasonal sprinkles and tins for holiday goodies.  The package comes with two bottles of oil, 1 fluid dram each.  A dram equals approximately 1 tablespoon.  You only need a total of 1 teaspoon for this recipe.  1/2 teaspoon in each layer.  Be sure to measure, because this is very potent.

I covered a half sheet pan with non stick aluminum foil in preparation to make the bark.  I melted the dark chocolate in the microwave on 30 second bursts until it was melted.  In my microwave that took 1 minute and 30 seconds.  Then I stirred until there were no lumps and added the peppermint oil and stirred well again.  I spread the dark chocolate in the pan evenly then placed in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes until it was solid.

Noreen's Kitchen
Easy Peppermint Bark

Easy Peppermint Bark

Prepare a half sheet size baking sheet with parchment or non stick aluminum foil.  Set aside.

Melt bittersweet chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave on 30 second bursts until nearly all the chips are melted.  Stir until smooth.

Add ½ teaspoon of peppermint oil and stir well.

Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly to all four corners with an offset spatula.

Shake pan gently to level off and even out the chocolate layer.

Place in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes or until chocolate is fully set and no longer glossy.

While dark chocolate is setting, melt white chocolate in the same manner and add the remaining peppermint oil, stirring well to combine.

Remove pan from the refrigerator and pour white chocolate on top.  Spread evenly to all four corners of the pan and give a good shake to level off. 

Sprinkle crushed peppermint candy over the to, shaking a bit to even out then give a gentle press with clean hands or place a piece of parchment over the top before pressing the candy to embed into the chocolate.  Return to refrigerator to set for another 10 minutes.

Melt 1 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips.  Place in a zip top baggie and snip one corner off for piping

Drizzle chocolate over the top of the prepared peppermint bark.  Return to the refrigerator to set for another ten minutes before cutting into pieces.

Cut or break bark into pieces and bag or box up for gift giving.  You can make this up to two weeks in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  

1 Cup good quality mayonnaise
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Today I am sharing a very easy way to make your own homemade peppermint bark!  There are a couple of tricks involved and a secret ingredient that you may not have thought of to make this holiday favorite a great option for gift giving this season!  Done in two layers of both dark and white chocolate and topped with some crushed candy canes this treat is sure to please!  Just a few ingredients can get this going in no time!  #christmas #areallyretroholiday #peppermintbark #recipe 

I am making a half sheet pan of peppermint bark in this video.  I used a 20 ounce bag of Ghirardelli 60% Cacao bittersweet chocolate chips, a 22 ounce bag of Ghirardelli white chocolate chips and 18 peppermint candy canes that I crushed with a small skillet.  I used 1 cup of mini semi sweet chocolate chips for the drizzle.  I also used some pure peppermint oil to flavor the chocolate.

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Step By Step Instructions

While the dark chocolate was setting I melted the white chocolate in the same manner and added the peppermint oil.  When the dark chocolate was set, I poured the white chocolate on top and spread it out evenly then sprinkled the crushed candy canes over the top.  I gave them a gentle press to embed them in the chocolate.  Back into the fridge for another 10 minutes to set up.

I decided to add a drizzle to the top of mine with some semi sweet chocolate chips.  You don't have too, but it looks super cute.  I used a quart freezer bag and melted the chips right in that then mushed it up till it was smooth.  Then I snipped the corner of the bag and drizzled away.  Back into the fridge to set.

Now is the fun part.  Cutting into pieces.  You can use a knife or a mallet to achieve the desired look of your bark.  Then package in gift bags, boxes or tins and you are ready to give your gifts! 

You will want to store this in the refrigerator if you cooled in in the fridge to begin with.  If you want a more room temp stable chocolate, you will want to cool it at room temp which can take a couple of hours but it will not soften at room temperature.  It's up to you.  If you cooled it in the refrigerator, you will need to store it in the fridge or in a cool garage if you live in a cooler climate.

I hope you give this peppermint bark a try this holiday season and I hope you love it!

Happy Eating and Happy Holidays!

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon peppermint oil, divided

4 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
4 cups white chocolate chips

18 peppermint candy canes, crushed

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Hi!  I'm Noreen, wife, mother of two amazing, almost grown, daughters, content creator, cook, baker and sister in Christ. Welcome to my Kitchen!   I hope you stick around, enjoy the recipes and share them with those you love!

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