Christmas Candy Bark Food

CHRISTMAS BARK CANDY

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan or microwave, melt chips with oil; stir until smooth. Cool for 5 minutes. Stir in M&M's or pretzels. Spread onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator; break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

CHRISTMAS BARK CANDY

Steps:

• Melt almond bark or white chocolate chips in microwave or use a double boiler on stove top.
• Stir in remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Quickly place by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. Allow to set up and harden. (I sometimes refrigerate them for a few minutes.).

BREAK-APART CHRISTMAS TREE CANDY BARK

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment.
• With a short side of the prepared baking sheet facing you, arrange the white candy melting wafers on the prepared sheet tray in a 9-by-10-inch rectangle, leaving an empty 5 1/2-by-7-by-7-inch triangle in the center (vertically; this will be the Christmas tree). Fill the triangle with the green candy melting wafers. Place in the oven until the candy melting wafers are glossy and begin to melt, 3 to 4 minutes. Immediately use a small offset spatula to smooth and spread the white candy melting wafers. Use a clean small offset spatula to spread and smooth the green melting wafers. Go back over the triangle in small downward textured strokes to create the appearance of branches on a Christmas tree.
• Arrange the candy-coated chocolates in a decorative pattern across the tree to create a string of lights. Arrange the 5 yellow chocolates at the top of the tree in the shape of a star, setting each chocolate on its edge. Decorate the remaining space on the tree with gold sugar pearl sprinkles
• If using gingersnap cookies, break them into bite-size pieces. Decorate the white space around the tree with the whole gingerbread men or gingersnap cookie pieces, yogurt-covered pretzels, candied ginger and holiday sprinkles, leaving just a little white space in between. Let the bark sit at room temperature until fully set, about 45 minutes.
• To serve, break the bark into bite-size pieces.

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.

CHRISTMAS BARK CANDY

Steps:

• In a microwave safe bowl, heat chips and oil at 50% power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave 10 to 20 seconds longer or until chips are melted, stirring occasionally.
• Cool for 5 minutes.
• Stir in baking bits or pretzels. Spread onto wax paper lined baking sheet. Chill for 10 minutes. Remove from refrigerator; break into pieces.
• Store in airtight container at room temperature.