White Chocolate Peppermint Bark

For the last couple years I have been trying to come up with some homemade edible gifts to give to family and friends. I figure that it’s nice to get something you couldn’t find in a store, and quite frankly, I just cannot afford to buy everyone I know a $30 sweater.

This year the gift du jour was apple butter. To say the absolute least, it was quite a chore challenge. More on that later, but let me just say that when I was in the middle of grinding up apples in my kitchen sink I longed for last year, when I handed out little bags of white chocolate peppermint bark. I should have gone against my instinct to break tradition, cause white chocolate bark couldn’t be easier to make. And seriously, people go nuts over this stuff. I missed it so much that I whipped up a batch and brought it into work. By noon the whole tray was gone, which tells me some people had this for breakfast.

Another thing that is great about chocolate bark is how easy it is to customize. Someone you know doesn’t like white chocolate?  Simply substitute any other type of chocolate chips into the mix. Last year, I made this for all of Chase’s family and then sent him off to visit them armed with candy for everyone. However, he failed to mention to me that his sister is allergic to peppermint. I can only imagine how excited she was to receive a gift that could cause her to break out in hives. Next time, I’ll make her something like this, or this.

Looking for some inspiration, or maybe just some photos to drool over? Go to Tastespotting and search for “bark.” Honestly, it’s almost too much to handle.

White Chocolate Peppermint Bark

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In this recipe I used Hershey’s chocolate candy canes, but don’t over-think what kind of peppermint you use. The main thing to pick up with this recipe is the technique. Once you have that down, let your imagination run wild!

16oz white chocolate chips, divided
1/2 cup peppermints or 5 candy canes

Place the peppermint in a heavy-duty Ziploc bag and pound with a metal pan or hammer, breaking the candy into pieces. Set aside.

Place half of the chocolate chips into a large bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir the chips. Repeat this process until the chocolate is thoroughly melted (it should take about 90 seconds of cooking time)Once the chocolate is melted, add the rest of the chocolate chips and stir until everything is melted through. This will temper the chocolate, which prevents it from looking white or moldy when it’s set up.

Pour the chocolate into a pan lined with aluminum foil and spread into an even layer. It should cover approx. ½ of the sheet. Sprinkle the broken candies over the melted chocolate and allow it to cool, about 1 hour. Break into pieces and spread a little joy to all your friends.

Tagged as: White Chocolate