Looking for a sweet holiday treat to give that won’t take all day? This homemade peppermint bark is easy to make and the perfect holiday gift!
It’s Christmas week and if you’re anything like me, you’ve got a billion things left to do before the big holiday weekend. Because I want to be sure to have enough time to enjoy this special time with my family, my posting will probably be on the light side through the end of the year. However, I thought I’d start off your week with a fun and tasty little DiY project.
No party is complete without a sweet little trinket your guests can take home, enjoy, and remember (hopefully) the wonderful time they had. For my little candy-cane themed shindig yesterday, I made peppermint bark favors. ( Savings tip:Chocolate chips are an excellent item to stock up on when they are on sale!) It amazes me that they sell this stuff for $30 a box at specialty stores when it is SO easy and so inexpensive to make! Packaged up nicely in cellophane bags, it makes a lovely (and much appreciated) gift.
Homemade Peppermint Bark
Here is what you need:
25 unwrapped Candy Canes 2 12oz. bags Milk Chocolate chips
Step 3: Cover 3 cookie sheets (for a large batch) with non-stick foil or wax paper. Boil water in a double boiler. Since I don’t have a double boiler, I used a bowl over a saucepan, which worked just as well. Fill the water to just below the bowl, but not touching the bowl.
Step 4: Slowly melt the chocolate chips, stirring frequently. I discovered it works better to mostly melt one bag before adding the next bag, rather than dumping them in all at once.
Step 5: Spread out the chocolate on the foil covered cookie sheets. It should be fairly thin, approximately 1/8″ thick. Place cookie sheets in the fridge to harden for about a half-hour.
Step 6: While the chocolate layer is cooling, rinse your bowl or double boiler pan and repeat the melting process with the white chocolate chips. If desired, add 1/4 tsp Peppermint Vitality Essential Oil or 1 tsp peppermint extract to the melted white chocolate for extra pepper-minty flavor.
Step 7: Spread out the melted white chocolate in a layer over top of the brown chocolate. While it is still wet, quickly sprinkle on the broken candy cane pieces. Place in the refrigerator to harden completely, about an hour.
Step 9: To seal the bags, cut pieces of holiday scrapbook paper into 4×4″ squares, then fold the squares in half. Fold over the tops of the cellophane bags a couple of times, then staple the scrapbook paper over the fold. If desired, print labels to glue onto the scrapbook paper.
The whole project took me about 3 hours from start to finish. I already had the foil, chocolate, peppermint extract, cellophane bags, & scrapbook paper on hand, so my only real expense for the project was the $1.67 I spent for a large box of candy canes.
Homemade Peppermint Bark
Looking for a sweet holiday treat to give that won't take all day? This homemade peppermint bark is easy to make and the perfect holiday gift!
Ingredients
- 25 unwrapped Candy Canes
- 2 12 oz. bags Milk Chocolate Chips
- 2 11.5 oz. bags Semi Sweet Chunks
- 4 12 oz. bags White Chocolate Chips
- 1/4 tsp Peppermint Vitality Essential Oil or 1 tsp peppermint extract (optional)
Instructions
Start by unwrapping a pile of candy canes, then place them in a large ziplock bag.
Put that ziplock bag within a second ziplock bag (broken candy canes are sharp), then break the candy canes into small pieces. I used a rolling pin to smash them.
Cover 3 cookie sheets (for a large batch) with non-stick foil or wax paper. Boil water in a double boiler. Since I don't have a double boiler, I used a bowl over a saucepan, which worked just as well. Fill the water to just below the bowl, but not touching the bowl.
Slowly melt the chocolate chips, stirring frequently. I discovered it works better to mostly melt one bag before adding the next bag, rather than dumping them in all at once.
Spread out the chocolate on the foil covered cookie sheets. It should be fairly thin, approximately 1/8" thick. Place cookie sheets in the fridge to harden for about a half-hour.
While the chocolate layer is cooling, rinse your bowl or double boiler pan and repeat the melting process with the white chocolate chips. If desired, add 1/4 tsp Peppermint Vitality Essential Oil or 1 tsp peppermint extract to the melted white chocolate for extra pepper-minty flavor.
Spread out the melted white chocolate in a layer over top of the brown chocolate. While it is still wet, quickly sprinkle on the broken candy cane pieces. Place in the refrigerator to harden completely, about an hour.
Once the bark has hardened, break into pieces by hand, then place into cellophane bags.
To seal the bags, cut pieces of holiday scrapbook paper into 4x4" squares, then fold the squares in half. Fold over the tops of the cellophane bags a couple of times, then staple the scrapbook paper over the fold. If desired, print labels to glue onto the scrapbook paper.
What are your favorite holiday treats?
Other homemade dessert recipes you’d love:
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Ruth Soukup
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First time trying your recipe and it turned out pretty well. You don’t mention the size of the peppermint candy canes, so I guesstimated. I’m wondering if the candy would stick better if it was added to the chocolate or in between the layer of chocolate and white chocolate.
Looks fantastic! I need to send these as gifts in the mail. If packaged properly, will they survive a few days in the mail and still be fresh enough upon arrival? Thanks!
An interesting discussion is worth comment. I think that it is best to write more on this topic, it might not be a taboo subject but generally people are not enough to speak on such topics. To the next. Cheers