Today we are going to make peppermint bark which pretty much tastes like heaven…in a tin.  And what makes this recipe even more heavenly is that it’s so simple.

I’m serious, just try it, you’ll see.

This makes a great gift for a neighbor or perhaps a postal worker!  You will need a double boiler for this.  Remember, if you do not have a double boiler, you can just put a metal bowl over a pot of boiling water.  But be careful, this is hot stuff!

What you’ll need:

2 lbs of white chocolate baking chocolate (OH YEAH, BABY.)
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
12 large candy canes

Before you do anything, start to boil that water and then take out a large cookie sheet (one with sides) and cover with wax paper.  Then unwrap the white chocolate and the candy canes, this is by far the most difficult part of the recipe.  (which says A LOT.)

Cut up the white chocolate into 1/2 inch squares, this make the melting process go faster.

Chop up your candy canes.  Now, the size depends on your preference.  Some people prefer larger pieces, others prefer smaller.  I prefer smaller.  I put all of the candy canes into a 1 gallon zip lock bag before crushing which keeps candy canes from flying all over the kitchen.

Add your white chocolate to the top part of the boiler, once the water is boiling, and begin stirring.  Once smooth, add a 1/2 tsp of peppermint extract and stir thoroughly.

Then add your crushed candy canes.

Stir, stir, stir and then pour directly onto the wax paper covered cookie sheet.  But WAIT, before you pour, grab a towel and carefully (it’s hot, man!) wipe off the bottom of the pot or metal pan to avoid water dripping into your recipe.

Spread evenly.

Chill for about thirty minutes.  Take out of freezer and break apart, placing the beautiful pieces into a cookie tin, on a plate or directly into your mouth.

mmmmm……

Store in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to one week.

ENJOY!

It’s a messy, messy job but somebody has got to do it and these are so delicious and freakishly easy that you may as well be the hero.  Okay?

If you don’t want to decorate your truffles, you just want them plain and simple, all you need is the following:

2 1/2 packages (20 squares) semi-sweet baker’s chocolate, divided
1 package of cream cheese, softened
wax paper

But if you’d like to decorate your truffles, say, if you’re gifting these or bringing them to a holiday event, well, then you’ll also need:

sprinkles
unsweetened cocoa powder
powdered sugar

Melt 8 squares of  chocolate, thoroughly, in the microwave.  Stirring every 40 seconds or so.  (should not take more than 2 minutes to melt.)

Beat the cream cheese until creamy and do your best not to DIVE directly into the bowl.  Which I would totally do, if no one was looking.

Once the cream cheese is creamy, add the melted chocolate.  It will look like this which I’m pretty sure could be considered heaven.  Thoughts?

Honestly, I could photograph cream cheese all day.  It’s so beautiful.

Anyway.  Stir thoroughly and place in fridge until firm.  Firm should be anywhere between 45 minutes to 90 minutes.

Once firm, form chocolate mixture into balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet.  Will look like this but hopefully prettier.  My balls are not pretty.  Well, in this photo, I hadn’t yet rolled them out yet, just scooped them out but still, I realized while making these that I’m not a good baller.

Once your balls are all round and perfect (or close to it). melt the remaining 20 squares of chocolate.  You can do this in the microwave or in the double-boiler.  I used the microwave this time around, but next time, I will definitely be using the double-boiler.  It’s your choice.

Once the chocolate is melted, dip your refrigerated balls into the chocolate, one by one, (I used a skewer tool to dip and a spoon), place the dipped ball back onto the cookie sheet.  (this was the messy part for me, by the way.)

At this point, I would add the sprinkles, that way they stay on.

Place in the refrigerator for one hour.  Once cold, you can roll a few in the cocoa and the powdered sugar.  I also sampled a few and nearly died.

Place in mini muffin papers…

Oh and share with a child who adores chocolate.  It’s part of the recipe.  I swear.

Refrigerate the leftovers…you know, should you have any.

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