Layers and layers of smooth, silky white chocolate and dark chocolate in this peppermint bark with crushed candy canes. Don’t be alarmed by the addition of vegetable oil, it gives the bark a glossy finish and that snap when you break the pieces apart!
SEE ALSO: Queen’s Park Swizzle Cocktail Recipe
I recommend using high-quality chocolate for this recipe like Ghirardelli Baking Bars (not sponsored!) so it’s extra yummy. Try this easy peppermint bark recipe for the holidays. Makes for perfect holiday gifts!
Peppermint Bark Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 oz milk or dark chocolate
- 12 oz white chocolate
- 3 tsp vegetable oil
- 8 candy canes (approx 1/3 cup crushed)
Instructions
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt white chocolate and 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Immediately pour half of the melted chocolate into the prepared pan and tilt the pan so the chocolate makes an even layer. Or use a rubber spatula to smooth out the chocolate.
- Place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes, or until the chocolate has set.
- Melt the dark or milk chocolate and 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Immediately pour the melted chocolate into the prepared pan and tilt the pan so the chocolate makes an even layer. Place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes, or until the chocolate has set.
- Repeat with another layer of white chocolate with the remaining chocolate and tilt the pan for an even layer.
- Unwrap the candy canes and put into a heavy-duty freezer bag. Use a rolling to smash the candy canes into crushed pieces.
- Sprinkle the crushed candy canes evenly over the white chocolate top layer. Place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, or until the chocolate has set.
- Gently remove the peppermint bark from the baking sheet.
- Break the bark into small irregular pieces with your hands or a knife.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
PEPPERMINT BARK RECIPE STEP-BY-STEP
You only need 4 ingredients for my peppermint bark recipe:
- White chocolate
- Milk or dark chocolate
- Candy canes
- Vegetable oil
White chocolate is pretty sweet so I like to use dark chocolate to cut through that sweetness but you can use milk chocolate.
STEP 1. CHOP & MELT WHITE CHOCOLATE
Chop white chocolate into small pieces and add to a small bowl with 4 teaspoons of vegetable oil. Using a double boiler, stir the chocolate until melted. Pour half of the white chocolate onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Place in freezer for 15 to 20 minutes until hardened.
Peppermint Bark Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 oz milk or dark chocolate
- 12 oz white chocolate
- 3 tsp vegetable oil
- 8 candy canes (approx 1/3 cup crushed)
Instructions
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt white chocolate and 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Immediately pour half of the melted chocolate into the prepared pan and tilt the pan so the chocolate makes an even layer. Or use a rubber spatula to smooth out the chocolate.
- Place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes, or until the chocolate has set.
- Melt the dark or milk chocolate and 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Immediately pour the melted chocolate into the prepared pan and tilt the pan so the chocolate makes an even layer. Place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes, or until the chocolate has set.
- Repeat with another layer of white chocolate with the remaining chocolate and tilt the pan for an even layer.
- Unwrap the candy canes and put into a heavy-duty freezer bag. Use a rolling to smash the candy canes into crushed pieces.
- Sprinkle the crushed candy canes evenly over the white chocolate top layer. Place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, or until the chocolate has set.
- Gently remove the peppermint bark from the baking sheet.
- Break the bark into small irregular pieces with your hands or a knife.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
STEP 2. CHOP & MELT DARK CHOCOLATE
Chop milk or dark chocolate into small pieces and use a double boiler to melt the chocolate.
STEP 3. POUR DARK CHOCOLATE LAYER
Pour melted dark chocolate over white chocolate layer. Place in freezer for 15 to 20 minutes until hardened.
STEP 4. POUR FINAL WHITE CHOCOLATE LAYER
I recommend making the white chocolate cool a little bit before pouring over the dark chocolate layer because I didn’t do that and it melted into dark chocolate. But this does make for a cool marbled effect!
STEP 5. CRUSH CANDY CANES
Unwrap candy canes and place into a heavy-duty freezer bag. Use a rolling pin (I couldn’t find mine so I used a lemon juicer) to crush the candy canes into little pieces. You can make tiny crushed pieces or I like mine a little chunky so you get that crunchy contrast in the peppermint bark.
Immediately sprinkle on the crushed candy cane pieces or else the chocolate will start hardening up and the pieces will not adhere to the chocolate.
STEP 6. BREAK PEPPERMINT BARK
Now here’s the fun part! Peppermint bark is traditionally broken into chunks but if you want to make shapes with cookie cutters or cut into squares, dip your knife or cookie cutter in hot water.
This peppermint bark recipe was originally published December 2010 and has been one of my most popular blog posts. You can see my original photography below, as you can tell, it’s improved since!
Root Candles loved the original photography so much that they bought the photography to use for their Peppermint Bark candles. For more information, visit RootCandles.com.
Update: My Peppermint Bark has been featured on Huffington Post!
