In my opinion, homemade desserts almost always outshine store-bought sweets. Each year around this time, I make one or two batches of our favorite holiday sweet treat: Layered Peppermint Bark. (skip to the full recipe* here)
Made with high-quality chocolate (white and semi-sweet), a sprinkling of Wilton’s White Pearl Dust and love, this scrumptious treat stands out from the overpriced fancy store-bought version. Package these in a cute tin or a Mason jar adorned with festive ribbon for a delicious homemade gift to share during the holiday season.
Recipe: Layered Peppermint Bark
| Prep Time: 30 min | Ready in: 2 hrs 30 min | Serves: Approx. 20 | Difficulty: Easy |
- 8 oz Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate baking bars
- 8 oz Ghirardelli white chocolate baking bars
- ½ tsp pure peppermint extract, divided
- Approx. 25 peppermint candies, crushed
- 1 container Wilton White Pearl Dust
Preparation Instructions
Line a 9×9” baking pan with tin foil, smoothing out wrinkles. Melt the semi-sweet chocolate in a double boiler. Or if you don’t have a double boiler, do like I did – place a glass bowl atop a medium-sized sauce pan with simmering water. Stir frequently with a rubber spatula. Once melted, stir in ¼ tsp of pure peppermint extract and mix well. Pour the melted chocolate into the prepared pan, spreading evenly with the rubber spatula. Sprinkle 1/3 – ½ of the crushed peppermints evenly on top of the semi-sweet chocolate layer. Loosely cover and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
TIP: Microwave the peppermints for about 10-15 seconds for easier crushing. After microwaving, place peppermints in a large Ziploc bag and go to town with a mallet or the bottom of a sauce pan. 
Melt the white chocolate in a separate bowl. Once melted stir in the ¼ tsp of pure peppermint extract, as well as the Wilton White Pearl Dust (I used the entire container) and mix well. Pour the melted white chocolate on top of the semi-sweet chocolate layer, spreading evenly with the rubber spatula. Sprinkle the remaining crushed peppermints evenly atop the white chocolate layer, and gently press in with your fingertips where necessary. Refrigerate until completely hardened, at least two hours.
Once completely hardened, remove tin foil and layered peppermint bark from pan, placing it upside-down on a towel. Carefully peel away the tin foil layer, and break the peppermint bark into bite-size pieces to serve.
*Adapted from this recipe.
