Peppermint Bark

As I mentioned in my last entry, I absolutely love peppermint bark. The kind with dark chocolate on the bottom, following by white chocolate/bark and topped with crushed candy canes. Mmmm! Since I'm not a huge Christmas cookie fan, this is my favorite treat for the holidays.

The batch I made last year wasn't the best. So I was determined this year to perfect my recipe. You might be thinking, how hard can it be? Melt chocolate & sprinkle with candy canes.... trust me, I think you'll find these little tips make the bark irresistable.

Lesson #1 : Get quality chocolate, it's worth a little extra money for the flavor and consistency.

Lesson #2: Melt your chocolate in a double broiler instead of the microwave. It takes a little longer, but the chocolate seems much smoother and pliable.

Lesson #3: After melting, take the bowl off the heat and add 1/2 tsp peppermint extract and 1/2 tsp vegetable oil. Most recipes call for a whole teaspoon of peppermint, but I think it's too strong. The veg oil adds a little extra shine and prevents it from getting too hard.

Lesson #4: Parchment paper is a must. It is far superior to foil or wax paper that stick to the bottom .

Lession #5: Don't make the bark too thick - I like 1/4" thick layers. Otherwise it becomes much more difficult to cut and because it's so rich you'll have to cut tiny pieces.

This year for a fun variation, I made a batch of Ande's mint bark simply by forgoing the peppermint extract & candy canes. Instead mix a 1/4 cup Andes mints into the dark chocolate chips when melting and then sprinkle generously on top.