Bakers Chocolate Peppermint Bark Food

BAKER'S CHOCOLATE-PEPPERMINT BARK

Steps:

• Microwave chocolate in medium microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min.or until almost melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.
• Spread half of the chocolate on waxed paper-covered baking sheet; sprinkle with crushed candies. Drizzle evenly with remaining chocolate.
• Refrigerate 1-1/2 hours or until firm. Break into 10 pieces. Store, placed between layers of waxed paper, in tightly covered container at room temperature, or in the refrigerator, up to 3 weeks.

EASY 3-INGREDIENT PEPPERMINT BARK RECIPE

Steps:

• Crush the candy canes by using a food processor. If you don't have a food processor, put the candy canes in a plastic storage bag with a zipper, and use a rolling pin to crush.
• Line a 9"x13" baking dish with parchment paper.
• Melt the baker's chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl according to the instructions on the package. Pour into the baking dish and spread in an even layer. Allow to set while you prepare the white almond bark.
• Melt the white almond bark in a microwave-safe bowl according to the instructions on the package.
• Stir the crushed candy canes into the melted almond bark. Pour the mixture into the baking dish and spread in an even layer over the baker's chocolate.
• Sprinkle additional crushed candy cane pieces on top. Add mini candy canes on top if desired.
• Place peppermint bark in fridge or freezer to allow to set and harden for at least 2 hours.
• Once peppermint bark is hard and set, lift it out of the 9"x13" pan. Break apart into pieces.
• Store peppermint bark in an airtight container at room temperature.

DARK CHOCOLATE ALMOND PEPPERMINT BARK

Steps:

• Butter a baking sheetor use a silpat - I used a silpat and it is what I reccomend. In a medium saucepan, add the sugar and cook, without stirring but swirling the pan occasionally over medium heat to make a caramel. You're looking for the color of an old copper penny - this takes around 4 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter. Quickly stir in the almonds to coat them with the caramel. Pour the nuts onto the silpat, spreading to distribute without clumps. Let cool and then break to separate.
• Bring about 1 -inch of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan with a bowl fitted to sit just above the simmering water. We're making a double boiler here. Add the chocolate, stirring occasionaly so that the chocolate melts evenly. When the chocolate is melted, remove the bowl from the saucepan and add the peppermint extract, stirring to combine. Stir in the cooled almonds. Spread the chocolate - nut mixture onto the same baking sheet with silpat into a thin uniformed layer. Let sit for 5 minutes and then sprinkle with sea salt and holiday sprinkles.
• Chill the baking sheet in the refrigerator until firm, about 2 hours and then break apart into 1 -2 inch pieces. Store in a cool, dry place and stacked between a layer of foil or parchment in an airtight container. The bark will keep for up to one week, but the chocolate will change slightly in appearance since it is homemade.

PEPPERMINT BARK

Steps:

• Start by getting everything prepped and ready to go. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper.
• Finely crush 3 candy canes. You can do this in the food processor or in a ziplock with a rolling pin. These candy canes are going to be stirred into the white chocolate, so you want to crush them pretty well.
• Coarsely crush 5-8 candy canes in a ziplock (a food processor will crush them too much). These ones are going to be sprinkled on top of the bark. Set aside.
• A word about chocolate. Be sure to buy high quality chocolate. Dark or semisweet is fine; I prefer dark. I like to use Ghirardelli, Guittard, or Nestle. If you are using chocolate chips, use 12 ounces. This is 2 cups of chocolate chips. If you are using a bar of chocolate, roughly chop it.
• Melt your chocolate. In a medium bowl, add 12 ounces dark or semi sweet chocolate. Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Heat for 30 seconds on high in the microwave and stir. Heat for another 30 seconds and stir. Continue after this in 15 second increments, stirring each time. When the chocolate is glossy and mostly smooth, but still has lumps, do not microwave again. Just keep stirring until the final hard pieces melt.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract and stir well.
• Pour the chocolate onto the prepared pan. Use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate into a large rectangle. Mine was about 11x15 inches. The larger your rectangle, the thinner your bark will be. I don't like super thick bark, I like it to be nice and thin (the easier to bite into). Drop the pan on the counter a few times to get out all the air bubbles.
• Set the pan of chocolate aside to set. You can put it in the fridge if you are in a hurry. Do not add the white chocolate layer until this layer has set.
• A word about white chocolate. Check the ingredients. If it does not list "cocoa butter" then it is not white chocolate. Most white chocolate chips do not have cocoa butter. It's best to buy a bar. I like the Ghirardelli white chocolate bars.
• Chop 12 ounces of high quality white chocolate.
• In a new bowl (or clean and dry the other one very well), add the white chocolate. Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil.
• Microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Microwave another 30 seconds and stir. After that, heat in 15 second increments until there are still a few lumps. Then stir until the lumps are gone. White chocolate seizes even easier than regular chocolate, so be careful!
• Stir the finely crushed candy canes into the white chocolate. Pour the white chocolate over the top of the cooled dark chocolate. Use an offset spatula to spread almost all the way to the edge. The heat from the white chocolate might slightly melt the bottom layer, so be careful you don't smear them together.
• Immediately sprinkle the coarse candy canes on top. Let the bark cool at room temperature or stick it in the fridge. It takes about 30 minutes in the fridge.
• Once hardened, use a sharp chef's knife to slice the bark into pieces. I don't like to break the pieces apart by hand. As satisfying as it is, the white chocolate tends to separate from the dark chocolate that way.
• Enjoy! Keep in a sealed container at room temperature.
• You can freeze the bark for up to 3 months if it is well sealed. You do run the risk of white spots ("bloom") showing up on your chocolate. Thaw in the refrigerator to avoid this (there will be less condensation that way.)

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE SWIRLED PEPPERMINT BARK

Steps:

• Prep: Line a large cookie sheet with foil. Crush your candy canes and chop your chocolate.
• Melt the Chocolate: Melt each chocolate, using a double boiler or a heat-proof bowl over a pot with about an inch of simmering water - the bowl should not touch the water. You can also melt the chocolate in the microwave, in a heat-safe bowl. Use 15-20 second intervals for the white chocolate (I find it to be a little more heat sensitive) and 25-30 second intervals for the semi sweet. Stir between each interval, and once the chocolate is almost completely melted (in either method), remove it from the heat and vigorously stir - the residual heat of the bowl will melt the remaining lumps.
• Assemble the Peppermint Bark: Reserve a spoonful or two of semi-sweet chocolate for adding on top of your peppermint bark, if desired (this can help you create more dramatic swirls). Pour the semi sweet chocolate onto your baking sheet, and spread it evenly (it won't cover the whole cookie sheet, but it'll cover a lot of it). Add the white chocolate on top, and spread it over the semi-sweet. Use a butter knife or toothpick to create swirls in the chocolate. Add any extra semi-sweet chocolate, if desired, in small spots here and there, and swirl it into the white chocolate for an extra dramatic look (this is what I did!).Sprinkle your crushed candy canes on top. Let set at room temp (or use the fridge to speed this up!) until completely hardened.
• Serve + Store: Break into pieces once completely set. Enjoy! Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Place peppermint bark in layers, with wax paper between each layer. This lasts for weeks and weeks in the fridge!

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BARK

Steps:

• In a microwave, melt white chocolate at 70% power; stir until smooth. Stir in 1/3 cup crushed candies. Repeat with chocolate chips and an additional 1/3 cup candies. Alternately drop spoonfuls of chocolate and white chocolate mixtures onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet., Using a metal spatula, cut through candy to swirl and spread to 1/4-in. thickness. Sprinkle with remaining crushed candies., Refrigerate until firm. Break into pieces. Store between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container.

BAKER'S WHITE CHOCOLATE-PEPPERMINT BARK

Steps:

• Microwave chocolate in microwavable bowl on HIGH 2 min., stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.
• Stir in crushed candy and extract.
• Spread into thin layer on waxed paper-covered baking sheet; sprinkle with coconut.
• Refrigerate 30 min. or until firm. Break into small pieces.

BAKER'S CHOCOLATE SWIRL-PEPPERMINT BARK

Steps:

• Microwave chocolates in separate medium microwaveable bowls on HIGH 1-1/2 min. or until almost melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolates are completely melted.
• Drop spoonfuls of chocolate mixtures alternately onto waxed paper-covered baking sheet; swirl gently with knife. Sprinkle with crushed candy.
• Refrigerate 1-1/2 hours or until firm. Break into pieces.

PEPPERMINT CHOCOLATE COOKIE BARK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder and espresso powder until combined. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar and salt until combined and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add egg yolk and peppermint extract and continue beating until well combined.
• Add flour mixture and mix on low until dough comes together in a ball with no streaks of flour.
• Place a large piece of plastic wrap on work surface. Form ball of dough into a square block and cover with a second piece of plastic wrap. Roll dough in an oblong shape about 10"x 12" and a little more than an 1/8" thick. Take care not to make the edges thinner than the center of the dough as they will be the first to cook.
• Remove top piece of plastic wrap and flip rolled out dough onto a large ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes until center looks dry and firm. Watch the edges as you don't want them to burn. I baked mine about 13 minutes.
• Remove from the oven. Sprinkle white chocolate chips evenly over the surface. Return pan to oven for 1 minute to help chocolate melt.
• Remove from oven and spread chocolate evenly over cookie. Once you get it spread out, tap the pan on the counter a few times and the chocolate will settle into a smooth layer.
• Sprinkle surface with finely chopped peppermint candies. Allow cookie bark to cool on baking sheet until chocolate hardens.
• Once the chocolate is firm, break the bark into pieces. I cut a few sections and then started breaking the rest. The cookie will stick a bit to the pan, just slide a thin spatula around the edges. Break those pieces and move them aside so that you'll have room to loosen the next section with the spatula.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BARK - CHRISTMAS

Steps:

• Line a 9x12 pan with parchment paper.
• Melt the dark chocolate (use the method you prefer, either double boiler, or microwave - cook 30 seconds in a heat-proof bowl, stir and repeat until you have a smooth consistency.
• Pour the melted dark chocolate on the parchment paper, spread the chocolate out until it is about 1/3" thick. You can do this by hitting the pan on the countertop repeatedly, or maybe you could use a spatula to spread the chocolate.
• Melt the white chocolate, using the steps above. After the chocolate is smooth, pour it on top of the dark chocolate - trying to make the layers the same thickness. (it's best to do this step while the white chocolate is still very soft -- I've had them separate when I broke them into pieces, I think the layers "stick" together better if the white chocolate has not hardened).
• Unwrap the starlite mints, or peppermints of your choice and put them into a heavy duty ziplock bag. Using a hammer or meat tenderizer - crush the mints then, while the white chocolate is still melted sprinkle on top.
• Let the chocolates harden in the refrigerator for 2 hours, then break the candy into pieces. This needs to be stored in the refrgerator if you live in a warm/humid climate.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BARK

Steps:

• In a microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate chips in 30-second intervals.
• Stir in 3/4 cup crushed peppermint candies and the peppermint extract..
• Spread mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Sprinkle remaining peppermint candies over the top.
• Chill for 1 hour or until chocolate is hardened.
• Once the chocolate is hardened lift the bark off the baking sheet and break the chocolate with your hands.

PEPPERMINT BARK

Steps:

• Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper; melt your dark chocolate and add half of your mint extract if desired. Pour over prepared baking sheet and spread into an even layer with an offset spatula. Pop in the freezer for 20 minutes
• Melt your white chocolate and add remaining mint extract; pour over your semisweet chocolate, this time don't use your spatula, or use it carefully -just on top- so dark and white chocolate don't mix. I like to tap the pan against the counter a few times so the chocolate spreads evenly; add crushed candy canes immediately and freeze for another 20 minutes or until set
• Break it into pieces and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks

HOMEMADE PEPPERMINT BARK

Steps:

• Crush candy canes in zip top bag. Set aside.
• Line a 9-inch pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Pour dark chocolate into prepared pan.
• Allow to cool until just set, but not hardened.
• Add peppermint oil to white chocolate.
• Pour over dark chocolate, tilting the pan to cover evenly.
• Allow to cool until just starting to set.
• Sprinkle with peppermint candy.
• Allow to harden completely.
• Lift peppermint bark from pan and, using a sharp knife, cut into triangles.

KETO CHOCOLATE BARK, 3 WAYS

Steps:

• Cover a sheet pan with parchment paper. Use coconut oil to lightly grease the parchment paper.
• To make the cream layer: Using an electric mixer, blend together cream cheese (at room temperature), coconut oil (also room temperature), powdered keto sweetener, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined and then set aside. Depending on the variation you choose, in this step, you will also add the additional extract as well as any cream layer mix-ins (if applicable).
• To make the chocolate layer: Heat a double boiler over medium to medium-high heat. Add chocolate baking squares, butter, and coconut oil to the double boiler bowl. Whisk continuously until all items are fully melted and combined. Add the keto granular sweetener. Continue whisking a minute or two until the sweetener has completely dissolved. Turn off heat. Then add heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract, whisking until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
• To assemble: Now comes the fun part! Grab the cream mixture and scoop it out onto your already prepared parchment paper. Using a spatula, spread the mixture (as evenly as possible) into approximately a 12x12 inch square.
• Using a spoon or small ladle, pour the chocolate mixture over the top of the cream layer. It doesn't have to be perfect. You can choose to completely cover the cream layer until nothing is showing or you can leave areas of white by pouring stripes, a basketweave, or zigzags. If desired, you can use a butter knife to drag through the two layers, creating a bit of a swirly or zigzag pattern. There really are no rules. No matter what you do, it will look and taste fabulous!
• Topping time! Assuming you've chosen a variation, sprinkle your topping onto the chocolate layer. You can use as much or as little as you like. If necessary, give the pan a little shake or softly press your hand on your topping layer to ensure all the goodies will stick in place.
• Pop the pan onto a flat surface in your freezer for one hour. This should allow enough time for your bark to fully set.
• Remove bark from the freezer. Using a large chef's knife, cut into desired shapes and sizes. You can also break it into pieces with your hands.
• Store in an airtight container in the freezer. These are best enjoyed straight from the freezer as they will soften at room temperature. Enjoy!

BAKER'S CHOCOLATE-PEPPERMINT BARK

Steps:

• Microwave chocolate in medium microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until almost melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.
• Spread half of the chocolate on wax paper-covered baking sheet; sprinkle with crushed candies. Drizzle evenly with remaining chocolate.
• Refrigerate 1-1/2 hours or until firm. Break into 10 pieces. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.

KETO PEPPERMINT BARK

Steps:

• Line a small/medium baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper. Clear some room in the refrigerator for this sheet. Set aside at room temperature.
• Place unwrapped peppermint candies (here are the keto-friendly, sugar free peppermint hard candies I used) in a bag and smash with a food mallet until crushed. Set aside the crushed peppermints for later.
• Melt the keto chocolate (1st Layer): Use the double boiler method or do the following. Add keto chocolate chips to a medium, microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 20-second increments until just softened-chocolate will continue to melt afterward, just make sure to stop right before it's fully melted. Stir in between heating increments, until smooth. Add in peppermint extract and stir until smooth.
• Pour chocolate onto the prepared baking sheet. Using a rubber spatula, spread into an even layer of desired thickness. Refrigerate for about 15 mins, or until firm.
• Melt the keto white chocolate (2nd Layer): Use the double boiler method or do the following. Add keto white chocolate chips and coconut oil to a medium, microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 20-second increments until melted, being careful not to burn (as white chocolate is way more finicky than regular chocolate). Stir in between heating increments, until smooth.
• Pour the white chocolate over the regular chocolate layer. Using a clean spatula, spread the melted keto white chocolate quickly over the firm, 1st layer of chocolate. Taking too long will result in the hot white chocolate melting the solid chocolate layer below. Spread until evenly smooth.
• Top with crushed peppermints (3rd layer): Sprinkle crushed peppermints over the melted keto white chocolate layer. You can gently press the peppermints into the melted white chocolate.
• Refrigerate until firm, about 20 mins. Remove from refrigerator and separate chocolate from paper. Slice into pieces. Enjoy! Storing instructions below.

ALMOST-FAMOUS PEPPERMINT BARK

Steps:

• Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil, shiny-side up; smooth out any wrinkles. Heat 1 inch of water in a saucepan over low heat until steaming.
• Put all but 3/4 cup of the semisweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over the saucepan of steaming water (do not let the bowl touch the water) and stir until one-third of the chocolate is melted. Remove the bowl from the saucepan; 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. Return the bowl to the saucepan, 5 to 10 seconds at a time, to help melt the chocolate, if needed. Do not rush this step: It may take up to 10 minutes to melt the chocolate.
• Wipe off any moisture from the bottom of the bowl. Stir 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract into the chocolate, then quickly pour into the prepared baking dish and spread in an even layer. Firmly tap the dish against the counter to remove any air bubbles. Set aside at room temperature until almost set, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put all but 1 cup of the white chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and repeat the melting process over the steaming water; dry off the bottom of the bowl. Stir in the remaining 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract; pour 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 at room temperature until firm, about 1 hour. Lift the bark out of the pan using the foil and break it into pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

PEPPERMINT BARK

Steps:

• Line a 12x18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the milk chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring after each melting, for a total of 1 to 5 minutes (depending on your microwave), until melted and smooth.
• Stir in the peppermint extract. Spread the chocolate evenly in the prepared pan. Place the pan of chocolate in the refrigerator to chill until mostly set, about 15-20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring after each melting, for 1 to 5 minutes. Stir in ¼ cup of the crushed candy canes.
• Spread the white chocolate mixture evenly over the chilled and mostly set milk chocolate. Sprinkle the remaining candy cane pieces evenly over the white chocolate layer. Chill in the refrigerator until set, about 1 hour.
• When set, break into small pieces to serve.