Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies Bon Appetit Food

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BARK COOKIES - BON APPETIT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Spray 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pan with long strip of 9-inch-wide parchment paper, leaving overhang on both short sides of pan. Whisk flour and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar. Continue beating until mixture is light and fluffy, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla, then egg yolk. Gradually add flour mixture, beating on low speed just to blend.
• Drop dough by tablespoonfuls into prepared baking pan, spacing evenly. Using moistened fingertips, press dough to form even layer over bottom of pan. Pierce dough all over with fork.
• Bake cookie base until light golden brown and slightly puffed and edges begin to come away from sides of pan, about 30 minutes. Place pan on rack; immediately sprinkle bittersweet chocolate over. Let stand until chocolate softens, about 3 minutes. Using small offset spatula, spread bittersweet chocolate over top of cookie in thin even layer. Immediately sprinkle chopped peppermint candies over.
• Stir white chocolate in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Using fork, drizzle white chocolate all over cookies. Chill until white chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.
• Using paper overhang as aid, lift cookie from pan and transfer to work surface. Using large knife, cut cookie into irregular pieces. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 week ahead. Store in refrigerator in airtight containers between layers of waxed paper or parchment paper.

PEPPERMINT BARK COOKIES

Steps:

• For the chocolate cookies: Cut two 13-by-18 pieces of parchment. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
• Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low, then gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just incorporated, about 2 minutes more.
• Place a sheet of parchment on a work surface. Transfer the dough to the parchment and cover with another sheet of parchment. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into an even layer that reaches the edges of the parchment. Slide the parchment and dough onto a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet and freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Remove the top parchment from the dough and bake until firm and no longer shiny, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and cool completely.
• For the peppermint bark: Put all but 1 cup of the white chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering 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 saucepan over low heat. Gradually stir the reserved 1 cup white chocolate into the bowl, a few pieces at a time, until all of the chocolate is melted; return the bowl to the saucepan for 5 to 10 seconds at a time as needed. Do not rush this step: It may take up to 10 minutes to melt all the chocolate.
• Wipe off any moisture from the bottom of the bowl. Stir the peppermint extract into the chocolate, then quickly pour over the cooled cookie base and spread in an even layer with a rubber spatula or small offset spatula.
• Sprinkle immediately with the peppermint candies, gently pressing the pieces into the white chocolate. Set aside at room temperature until firm, about 2 hours.
• Lift the bark cookie out of the baking sheet using the parchment and break it into pieces.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BARK COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 13 x 9 x 2-inch metal baking pan with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pan with long strip of 9-inch-wide parchment paper, leaving overhang on both short sides of pan. Whisk flour and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar. Continue beating until mixture is light and fluffy, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla, then egg yolk. Gradually add flour mixture, beating on low speed just to blend.
• Drop dough by tablespoonfuls into prepared baking pan, spacing evenly. Using moistened fingertips, press dough to form even layer over bottom of pan. Pierce dough all over with fork.
• Bake cookie base until light golden brown and slightly puffed and edges begin to come away from sides of pan, about 30 minutes. Place pan on rack; immediately sprinkle bittersweet chocolate over. Let stand until chocolate softens, about 3 minutes. Using small offset spatula, spread bittersweet chocolate over top of cookie in thin even layer. Immediately sprinkle chopped peppermint candies over.
• Stir white chocolate in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Using fork, drizzle white chocolate all over cookies. Chill until white chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.
• Using paper overhang as aid, lift cookie from pan and transfer to work surface. Using large knife, cut cookie into irregular pieces. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Store in refrigerator in airtight containers between layers of waxed paper or parchment paper.
• Mix it up:
• For a variation on this cookie, sprinkle the melted dark chocolate with chopped peanut brittle or peanut butter cups instead of the peppermint candies.

LAYERED PEPPERMINT CRUNCH BARK

Steps:

• Turn large baking sheet bottom side up. Cover securely with foil. Mark 12 x 9-inch rectangle on foil. Stir white chocolate in metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water) until chocolate is melted and smooth and candy thermometer registers 110°F. (chocolate will feel warm to touch). Remove from over water. Pour 2/3 cup melted white chocolate onto rectangle on foil. Using icing spatula, spread chocolate to fill rectangle. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup crushed peppermints. Chill until set, about 15 minutes.
• Stir bittersweet chocolate, cream and peppermint extract in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until just melted and smooth. Cool to barely lukewarm, about 5 minutes. Pour bittersweet chocolate mixture in long lines over white chocolate rectangle. Using icing spatula, spread bittersweet chocolate in even layer. Refrigerate until very cold and firm, about 25 minutes.
• Rewarm remaining white chocolate in bowl set over barely simmering water to 110°F. Working quickly, pour white chocolate over firm bittersweet chocolate layer; spread to cover. Immediately sprinkle with remaining crushed peppermints. Chill just until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Lift foil with bark onto work surface; trim edges. Cut bark crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips. Using metal spatula, slide bark off foil and onto work surface. Cut each strip crosswise into 3 sections and each section diagonally into 2 triangles. (Can be made 2 weeks ahead. Chill in airtight container.) Let stand 15 minutes at room temperature before serving.

PEPPERMINT BARK COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven until 350ËšF. Prepare baking sheets with silpat mat or parchment paper (two if you have them).
• Crush the candy canes. I used a food processor and pulsed until it was all crushed.
• Whisk together the rice flours, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt.
• Melt the butter, 60% chocolate, semisweet chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Or if you have a double boiler use that. Microwaving chocolate can be tricky, the key is short intervals. I do it in 15-20 second intervals (the closer to completely melted, the shorter the time). It took about 6 times or so. Stir in between every go in the microwave. The chocolate should be smooth without any noticeable chunks. Allow to cool slightly, but still fluid.
• While you're melting the chocolate, beat together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Beat on high until light and frothy, about 5 minutes. This step is what will make the cookies have that shiny, crackly exterior.
• Turn the mixer to low, and add the melted chocolate/butter mixture to the eggs.
• Add the flour mixture. Scrape down sides of the bowl to make sure everything is evenly incorporated.
• Mixture should be silky and shiny. Slightly thick but with fluidity.
• Add the 1/2 cup of crushed peppermint, peppermint extract, and the white chocolate chips.
• Drop the cookies onto a baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Dust with the extra crushed peppermint, reserving some for after baking.
• If you only have one baking sheet, prescoop the rest of the dough as well and set aside. Due to the chocolate content, this dough will harden up pretty quickly. It's perfectly fine to bake once they've hardened, but they're more difficult to scoop.
• Bake for 10 minutes, turning half way. Bake until the top looks glossy and cracked.
• The peppermint will have melted in the oven, it will harden back up, but for presentation, sprinkle some fresh peppermint on top if you'd like. Cool on the baking sheet at least 5 minutes. Transfer parchment or mat onto a cooling rack and cool until you can easily peal the cookies off the mat. Cool on cooling rack for another 20-30 minutes until completely cooled. You want to allow the cookies to set.
• These cookies are great when cooled, you can also warm them. They stay great for a few days in an airtight container.