Easy Peppermint Bark Recipe with White and Dark Chocolate
In Winter, the air gets colder, the skies get grayer, and you deserve a pick-me-up! Try this effortless Peppermint Bark with White and Dark Chocolate, my favorite joyful holiday treat!
The fireplace is raging, there’s cocoa in your hands, and a feast is imminent; these things all add up to one conclusion: it’s Christmas! And nothing makes the holidays brighter or more festive than peppermint bark! It is an incredible Christmas confection with so much sweet, chocolatey flavor!
This fantastic recipe makes crafting the perfect Christmas bark easy, down to the simple tempering tricks! So break out your holiday apron, and let’s get cracking on this delicious Peppermint Bark!
🥘 Ingredients
Dark Chocolate Couverture: Dark chocolate has the robust and pleasantly bitter flavor we all know and love. When paired with the bracing taste of mint and the sweetness of white chocolate, it makes for the perfect cocoa treat! Couverture is a type of chocolate with extra cocoa butter for easy melting; it can sometimes be labeled as ‘melting chocolate.’
White Chocolate Couverture: White chocolate contains only cocoa butter and no cocoa solids. It has a syrupy, sweet flavor that melds well with the other bolder flavors in this dessert.
Peppermint Extract: This fresh flavoring adds just enough minty goodness to make this treat shine!
Candy Canes: Use fresh peppermint candy canes to make the finishing touch for this treat!
See the recipe card for quantities.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1
- Line the baking pan.
- Chop the candy canes and set them aside.
Step 2
- Melt the dark chocolate and then add the peppermint extract.
- Dark Chocolate Layer: Smooth the dark chocolate onto the prepared pan.
- Chill the chocolate for half an hour or until set.
Step 3
- Melt the white chocolate.
- White Chocolate Layer: Pour the white chocolate over the solid dark chocolate and smooth it out. Immediately sprinkle the candy cane pieces on top.
- Chill to set.
Step 4
- Break the fully set bark into pieces.
- Store in a cool place and enjoy!
🍵 Substitutions
Bring a bracing peppermint taste to this treat by increasing the amount of peppermint extractor you add to the dark chocolate.
🍫 Variations
If you want a striking look to your bark, layer it in the opposite order so the dark chocolate is on top.
Another decorative choice is to use a spoon or skewer to swirl the two chocolates into a marble pattern. Pour them as directed, then slowly drag your tool through to create the swirls. Sprinkle it with peppermints, and voila! A wonderful-looking holiday treat is yours!
🍽 Equipment
- Double Boiler or Temper Device: If you don’t have a double-boiler, just place a large metal bowl over the top of a pan to make your own.
- Tablespoon: This is the only measuring tool you will need!
- Electric Chopper or Grinder: For chopping up peppermint sticks; a food processor works very well for this task.
- Lined Baking Pan: Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat to make space for the bark to set up.
🌡 Storage
Peppermint bark will keep for up to three weeks if stored in a cool place.
💭 Top tip
I add the peppermint extract only to the dark chocolate, and that keeps the minty flavor light and not overpowering!
Do not stress over the size of the pieces of bark. Peppermint bark is meant to have a rustic look and feel so variations in the size of the final pieces are just fine!
🌡️ Tempering (Melting) Chocolate
Water bath: If you use a water bath for melting, you need two pots of different sizes. Fill one pot 3-4 finger-widths with water and place the second, smaller pot in it. The second pot should not touch the water! Now put the chocolate to be melted into the upper, smaller pot and melt it over moderate heat while stirring over the rising steam.
Tempering unit: Add the chocolate to be melted to the tempering unit and set it to the appropriate melting temperature. White and milk chocolate: 40 °C // 104 °F, dark chocolate 50 °C // 122 °F.
🙋🏻 FAQ
This double-chocolate peppermint bark is great for any instance. It makes an incredible addition to cookie assortments and a great gift, but there are practically endless uses for this sweet treat! Break it into stir sticks for your cocoa, or use chunks as an ice cream garnish. Whether you use it as decor, a gift, or a sweet snack you will absolutely adore this chocolate mint flavor!
Yes! This treat is naturally nut-free, gluten-free, and egg-free, so it’s great for mixed diets.
Store this bark in an airtight container. It can be kept in a cold spot in ambient conditions or in the fridge. The fridge will extend its shelf life slightly. This bark will stay fresh for about 2 -3 weeks at room temperature or a month in the fridge.
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How to make Peppermint Bark?
Equipment
- Double boiler or tempering device
- Tablespoon
- Baking pan 11×9 inches
Ingredients
- 2 – 3 Candy canes regular-sized
- 11 oz Dark chocolate couverture
- 2 – 3 drips Peppermint extract
- 11 oz White chocolate couverture
Instructions
- Line a 9×11 inch sheet pan with wrapping paper and set aside.
- Crush 2 – 3 Candy canes an electric chopper and set aside.2 – 3 Candy canes
- Melt 11 oz Dark chocolate couverture using a double boiler, tempering device, or microwave.11 oz Dark chocolate couverture
- Add 2 – 3 drips Peppermint extract to the melted chocolate and mix well.2 – 3 drips Peppermint extract
- Pour the melted dark chocolate into the baking pan lined with baking paper and smooth it out with a spoon.
- Place in the refrigerator for half an hour to set.
- Meanwhile, melt 11 oz White chocolate couverture.11 oz White chocolate couverture
- Once the white chocolate is melted, pour it over the solid dark chocolate and smooth it out. Immediately after, sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top.
- Then place in the refrigerator for another half hour and let it set.
- Once the chocolate has set, break it apart and store it in a cool place.
Nutrition
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⛑️ Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
For further information, check Safe Food Handling – FDA.
The perfect recipe for gift giving. I’ve never had a lot of luck with tempering so thanks for the tips! Look forward to trying it out.
Thank you, Marcellina! Let me know if the tempering worked for you!
This was easy to make and turned out just as good as any peppermint bark I’ve paid top dollar for during the holidays. Love the combination of white and dark chocolate. I’ll be making several batches of this over Christmas break to share as gifts.
That sounds wonderful! Thank you, Melinda!
This easy peppermint bark is perfect homemade gift idea. I am going to try this for this holidays.
Awesome, Swathi! Let me know how it turned out for you!