Peppermint bark is the holiday season’s perfect no-bake treat
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Ingredients:
12 ounces white chocolate
6 ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate
1 ½ teaspoons vegetable or coconut oil
Can substitute olive oil
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
2 to 3 candy canes
Can substitute around 20 peppermints
As snow falls on Syracuse, celebrate the upcoming break with this holiday-themed treat. With finals around the corner, here’s a no-bake dessert that can be made in any kind of kitchen or even a dorm room.
Start by lining a square baking pan (suggested 8 x 8 or 9 x 9) with parchment paper. Be sure to smooth out any wrinkles in the parchment paper so the peppermint bark ends up smooth on the bottom. For this step, you can also substitute aluminum foil or a lined baking sheet. Just make sure the chocolate won’t stick to the pan.
The next few steps create the layers of peppermint bark, consisting of melted dark and white chocolate. For these steps, you can either melt the chocolate on the stove or in the microwave. If using the microwave, be sure to warm up the chocolate in 20 second increments so the chocolate isn’t burned.
Start off by chopping the white chocolate, then take half (about 6 ounces) and put it into a heat proof bowl. Add ½ teaspoon of the oil of your choice into the mix. Every 20 seconds, stir the chocolate heartily with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon. Repeat these steps until the chocolate is smooth and completely melted.
Next, stir in ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract. Pour the chocolate into the pan and spread it to a thin, even layer. Let the first layer cool in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes.
In the meantime, take your bittersweet chocolate and oil in a heatproof bowl and repeat the melting process until smooth, adding ½ teaspoon of oil. Then, add in ¼ teaspoon of peppermint extract and mix into the chocolate. Once the first layer is cooled, add the middle layer on top, smoothing until evenly distributed.
Let the middle layer cool for 10 to 15 minutes. While the first two layers are cooling, put the remaining white chocolate in a heat resistant bowl, add in the last ½ teaspoon of oil and repeat the melting process until smooth. Finally, distribute evenly over the other layers.
Take some candy canes, or peppermint candies, and place them into a Ziploc bag. Crush them using a rolling pin to roll them out or use a meat mallet to break them.
Sprinkle the crushed peppermint candies on top of the final layer before putting them into the refrigerator to cool. Give it about an hour to set, then take it out to break the bark into pieces of any size.
If left in the fridge for too long, the layers may separate, so allow the bark to set out of the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Once broken, the bark can be stored in the refrigerator for three weeks.
Grab a cup of hot chocolate and settle in by the fire to enjoy this sweet holiday treat. Let the sweet mix of peppermint and chocolate ring in the season and alleviate your finals stress.
