Peppermint Bark
 
Ingredients
  • 12 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped*
  • 16 oz white chocolate, chopped*
  • 1½ teaspoon peppermint extract, divided
  • 4 candy canes, crushed
Instructions
  1. Line 9 x 13 in baking dish with aluminum foil shiny side up.
  2. Heat 1 in. of water in saucepan over low heat until boiling.
Semisweet Chocolate Melting:
  1. Put ⅔rds of the semisweet chocolate in a double boiler pot or in a heatproof bowl that sits on top of your saucepan.
  2. Place the chocolate over the boiling water (the bottom of your double boiler or bowl should not touch the water) and stir until completely melted plus another minute or 2 to get the chocolate up to around 120°F.
  3. Remove the chocolate from the heat and stir in the remaining semisweet chocolate a few pieces at a time.
  4. Stir until all of the chocolate is melted and is cooled to around 85°F. I stirred my chocolate for about 5 minutes after all the chunks were melted.
  5. To check that it is tempered, dip a spoon in the chocolate and if the chocolate sets in about 5 minutes, then you've tempered it correctly. It should look so glossy that it appears like it is still melted chocolate, but when you touch it, it has dried.
  6. Stir in ¾ teaspoon of peppermint extract.
  7. Pour the semisweet chocolate into the lined pan and let sit for about 10 minutes or until it is set.
Now you will repeat the melting process with the White Chocolate:
  1. Put ⅔rds of the white chocolate in a double boiler pot or in a heatproof bowl that sits on top of your saucepan.
  2. Place the chocolate over the boiling water (the bottom of your double boiler or bowl should not touch the water) and stir until all of it is melted or until it is 105°F. You won't add an extra minute or 2 like for the semisweet because it's white chocolate and you don't want it going past 105°F.
  3. Remove the chocolate from the heat and stir in the remaining white chocolate a few pieces at a time.
  4. Stir until all of the chocolate is melted and is cooled to around 85°F. I stirred my chocolate for about 5 minutes after all the chunks were melted.
  5. To check that it is tempered, dip a spoon in the chocolate and if the chocolate sets in about 5 minutes then you've tempered it correctly. It should look so glossy that it appears like it is still melted chocolate, but when you touch it, it has dried.
  6. Stir in ¾ teaspoon of peppermint extract.
  7. Spread the chocolate over the set semisweet chocolate in the pan and sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top. Press down a little with your hands to make sure the candy canes stick but not so much that your hands get chocolatey.
  8. Let the chocolate completely set for an 1 hour.
  9. Store at room temperature.
Notes
*Even if you don't use the best quality chocolate, DO NOT use chocolate chips! They don't melt quite right because they are meant to keep their shape when they bake in cookies. So do at least buy bar chocolate. I used Ghirardelli White Baking Chocolate Bars and Baker's semisweet chocolate Bars.
Recipe by Birch Tree Baking at https://www.birchtreebaking.com/peppermint-bark/