Candy Cane Bark

It's that time of year again, for all things peppermint, due to the overload of candy canes available.  If you are like me, you probably still have a bag from last year, filled with canes that decorated your Christmas tree.  So far, I have found two edible uses for my minty stash...cookies, and peppermint bark.  Last year, I posted a recipe which called for peppermint discs.  This year, I decided to utilize what I already have on hand...candy canes that are made on dedicated peanut and tree nut free machinery, which are safe for those with allergies. 

The recipe is the same as the one I posted last year, except this time, I weighed 4 ounces of broken candy cane pieces, instead of peppermint discs.

 



I discovered a better method for crushing the candy:  fold a large piece of wax paper several times, and place it inside a plastic zip top bag.  Put the broken candy cane pieces between the layers of wax paper, and lightly tap them with a hammer.  This will help to prevent candy shards from cutting the bag and dumping sweet and pepperminty dust onto your work surface.

 

I created a double boiler by using a glass bowl over a small glass saucepan filled with  hot water.  Melt 8 ounces of your favorite chocolate, while frequently stirring with a silicone spatula. 

 

 

Once the chocolate has melted and is smooth, add the crushed candy canes, along with a drop or two of peppermint extract. 

 

 

 

Stir the mixture until it is well-combined.  

 

Spread contents of bowl onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.  Place it in the freezer until solid.

 

 

 

Break apart the candy cane bark into bite-size pieces.  Store in a lidded container in the refrigerator.  This size batch is typically consumed within a week by all three members of my household!