Have you ever made homemade Chocolate Bark?
I have to tell you, that I just recently learned how to make it and honestly, I am a little obsessed now. I literally just made my first ever bark with some of my sweet daughter’s leftover Halloween Candy about a month ago. It was ridiculously fun and I gotta tell you, it was also insanely easy. It had never even occurred to me to make chocolate bark at home, and if I am being honest I figured it was hard. WOW, that couldn’t be further from the truth. It is literally one of the easiest sweet treats you can possibly make. Another thing that makes it incredibly fun is you can play around with so many different toppings like nuts, dried fruits, candies, marshmallows, drizzles, etc. The only limit to homemade chocolate bark is your own imagination and creativity (and that is where google comes into play). I thought a White Chocolate and Peppermint Bark would be so fun to kick off the holiday season.
And girlfriend, let me tell you it didn’t disappoint!
White Chocolate Peppermint Bark Ingredients:
- 16 oz. White Chocolate
- 6 Candy Canes
- Flaky Sea Salt
- Optional Topping: Milk Chocolate (4-5 Hershey Kisses or Hershey Chocolate Bar squares)
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White Chocolate Peppermint Bark Instructions:
1. Melt White Chocolate over Double Broiler (see below for How To).
You can use chocolate chips, or chop your own into mostly uniform pieces. I love Ghirardelli premium baking chocolate both for its taste and convenience.
2. Crush Candy Cane into very small pieces, set aside.
3. Optional: Using a microplane grater/Zester to grate chocolate pieces into a fine dust, set aside.
4. Line a baking sheet or cutting board with parchment paper.
5. Pour melted white chocolate onto prepared baking sheet and use a spatula to spread into an even layer about ⅓” inch thick.
6. Evenly sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
7. Evenly sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
8. Optional: Evenly sprinkle with chocolate dust.
9. Let bark cool in the refrigerator until set, about 30 minutes to 1 hour, then break into pieces.
10. Store bark in a resealable container.
And lastly…Enjoy!
A few helpful tips:
White Chocolate is more temperamental than milk or dark chocolate. If you are making bark using milk or dark chocolate, you should be able to let the bark cool at room temperature in about 1 hour. Only white chocolate may require refrigeration.
Your chocolate bark can be kept in a resealable container for about a week at room temperature.
Double Boiler How To:
I will let you in on a little secret, yes you can melt your chocolate in the microwave, but I promise you utilizing a double boiler on the stovetop is the best method. The steam will melt the chocolate evenly and prevent burning. If the idea of melting chocolate over a double boiler intimidates you, I get it, but just give it a try. I promise if I can do it successfully, you can too.
To create your double boiler, fill a medium saucepan or pot just a little less than halfway with water. Bring the water to a simmer, then place a heatproof bowl that is just big enough to sit on top of the saucepan/pot. Add your chocolate chips or chopped chocolate to the bowl. Keep the pot on low heat and stir the chocolate frequently with a rubber spatula, until your chocolate is melted into silky smoothness.
You do not want your bowl to actually touch the water in the saucepan/pot, the chocolate melts from the trapped steam.
Wipe the bottom of your bowl with a towel after removing from the double boiler and before pouring your chocolate. Melted chocolate hates water, so even a random drop or two could cause havoc on your entire recipe.
Bonus Tip:
Homemade Bark makes a lovely DIY gift, place it in a mason jar with a pretty ribbon and your friends and family will be ever so appreciative.
If you are like me and have never made Chocolate Bark at home, I hope this will inspire you to give it a try. It is so tasty and I am still shocked at how easy it is. While this recipe is specific to White Peppermint Chocolate Bark, I love how versatile making Chocolate Bark in general can be. So get wild, let your creativity flow and try something new.
We are having tons of fun all season long here at Mama Needs Vodka, so be sure to stay tuned for new posts dropping frequently. For now you may also like:
- Christmas Gift Guide for Her: 13 Things I Absolutely Love
- 12 Wonderful Gift Ideas for the Ultimate Homegirl to Keep Her Cozy & Warm All Season Long
- 17 Scrumptious Christmas Cookies & Holiday Desserts
- 4 Easy & Delicious Side Dishes for the Perfect Holiday Menu
- 24 Custom Designed Christmas Signs
From My Home to Yours, We Wish you a Merry Christmas!
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