Before I share my recipe for Peppermint Bark, I thought I would share a little of my world with you.
I had to run an errand in the middle of my work day today. My office is in a medical building on a hospital campus. As I drove around the perimeter of the hospital to get to the road access, I came upon this new sign:
Now doesn't that just make you want to fall off a ladder so you can check out the new emergency wing of the hospital? Is it just me? Because that is just so WRONG!
The easiest one yet:
PEPPERMINT BARK
1 package of vanilla candy coating (Can you tell I really like this stuff?)
1 package of chocolate candy coating (You can use semi-sweet morsels for this too but I'm not sure how much because it's been awhile since I did it that way)
1/3 tsp peppermint extract
½ package of candy canes (crushed)
Unwrap ½ of the candy canes in a package. (A good job for little ones if you have elves to help you) Put them inside two large plastic bags and go to town with a rubber mallet or a rolling pin. They will probably still come thru the bags. You can make them as fine or coarse as you desire. I like them a little coarse myself. If you want them fine, you can put them into a food processor and let it do its thing.
Melt chocolate coating in a double boiler (or a stainless steel bowl on top of a pot of water). Add peppermint extract. Once melted spread evenly into a jelly roll pan lined with wax paper in a thin layer. Refrigerate to speed up the setting process. Melt vanilla coating in a clean bowl. By the time this is smooth, your chocolate should be set. Spread over chocolate mixture quickly in an even layer. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes and press in carefully. Back in fridge to set.
Once the entire pan is set and hardened, lift out by the wax paper and gently remove the wax paper. Place onto cutting board. You can cut with a chef's knife or break apart with your hands. I like to use the knife but cut it unevenly so it looks like it was broken apart by hand. Store pieces in an air-tight container. This is really pretty given in tins or in those little baggies that I like so much.
This recipe was concocted while I was trying to follow Paula Deen's recipe for peppermint bark. I think that I've mentioned that I have trouble following recipes exactly. I came upon an ad for Williams and Sonoma's peppermint bark which has a chocolate bottom (and quite yummy if you prefer to buy it instead) and figured it never hurts to add chocolate, right? And so the Smart Mouth version of this recipe was born.
Merry Christmas and Season's Greetings.
Smart Mouth Broad
