Entertainment

December Recipes – Peppermint Bark

Elyse Prestopnik, Reporter
December 2, 2022

Ingredients:

12 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chopped into ½ inch pieces
1 ½ teaspoons of peppermint extract
1 pound of white chocolate, chopped into ½ inch pieces
3 candy canes or 12 hard round peppermint candies, crushed
9 inch by 13 inch baking pan
A saucepan

Directions:

Line the pan with foil, shiny side up, make sure to smooth out all the wrinkles.
Heat one inch of water in the saucepan over low heat until it starts to steam.
Put all but ¾ of a cup of the semi sweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
Put the bowl over the saucepan of steaming water, make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and stir until one-third of the chocolate is melted.
Remove the bowl from over the saucepan, but keep the steaming water over low heat.
Gradually stir the reserved 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate into the bowl, a few pieces at a time, until all of the chocolate is melted.
Remove the bowl from the saucepan but keep the steaming water over low heat.
Gradually add the reserved 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate into the bowl, adding just a few pieces at a time.
Move the bowl back to the saucepan and gradually stir, being very careful not to burn the chocolate. This may take a long time, but do not rush this step.
Remove the moisture from the bottom of the bowl and stir in ¾ teaspoon of peppermint extract to the chocolate, and then quickly pour it into the prepared baking tray or dish. Spread the chocolate evenly throughout the pan and then firmly tap the tray against the counter to remove any air bubbles.
Set the tray aside at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
While the tray is aside, put all but 1 cup of white chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and then repeat the melting process over water. Remove any moisture, and stir in the remaining ¾ teaspoon of peppermint extract.
Pour the white chocolate over the semisweet chocolate and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle immediately with the crushed candy canes, gently pressing them into the white chocolate. Set aside the chocolate filled tray until firm, about an hour.
Lift the peppermint park out of the pan using foil and break it into pieces.
Enjoy!