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| Photo: King Arthur Flour |
From Denny: Looking for a holiday food gift idea? Any kind of chocolate bark is fun and easy to make - and definitely much appreciated by your friends and family! Have you noticed how the grocery stores have started stocking all the ingredients for holiday baking - and many at good prices?
Making holiday food gifts gives you an opportunity to grow your baking and cooking skills. It's also more fun than chasing around the shopping malls - or online - looking for the best last minute holiday deals to save a few dollars. The higher stress level is just not worth that dog and pony show.
This holiday recipe features both white and dark chocolate layers, a bright red and very festive looking candy cane crunch along with that refreshing peppermint flavor. You might be tempted not to give this candy away as gifts! :)
If you don't enjoy the peppermint flavor or candy canes try your favorite candy flavor in place of the peppermint candy canes. You could use less of the candy canes and mix it with another candy you enjoy that would complement the peppermint flavor. Or you could use a favorite nut. In our house there are always options for experimentation to hit on a new twist of a favorite recipe! Take a little time and experiment on part of the bark as you lay it out to see what your house enjoys the best.
Ingredients available in ounces and grams too if you live outside of the U. S. Of course, the King Arthur Flour site sells several of the products in the ingredient list - links included if you cannot find another version of the products in your area and you would like to purchase online.
(FYI - I don't have any affiliation with King Arthur Flour - just enjoy many of their recipes. And, yes, the ads are from my Denny Lyon Gifts store at Cafe Press. Be sure to check both the Denny Lyon Gifts store and the front page of Cafe Press for flash sales and discounts. Proceeds go to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank and St. Jude's Hospital to benefit military families, military veterans and civilians too.)
Santa loves the music of the season! Visit Denny Lyon Gifts @ CafePress.com - see what's new!
Happy Holidays Poinsettia Greeting Cards (10 pack)
Christmas poinsettia vintage design updated in soft winter pales with Happy Holidays greeting suitable for the holiday season! Visit Denny Lyon Gifts @ CafePress.com - see what's new!From: King Arthur Flour
Recipe summary
- Hands-on time: 15 - 30 minutes
- Total time: 60 minutes - 4 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: about 2 dozen pieces
Tips from the King Arthur Flour bakers:
- When chocolate chips melt, they're thicker, less pourable, and generally harder to handle than melted bars or chunks of chocolate. That's why we recommend bar chocolate, rather than chocolate chips, for this recipe.
Ingredients:
- 2 and 2/3 cups Merckens bittersweet chocolate bar, chopped into coarse pieces
- 3 to 5 drops peppermint oil
- 2 cups Merckens white chocolate bar, chopped into coarse pieces
- 1/4 cup peppermint crunch or finely chopped hard peppermint candies
Directions
2) Stir in the peppermint oil, then spread it into an 8" x 12" oval on parchment paper or foil.
3) Allow the chocolate to set, but not harden completely.
4) Melt the white chocolate the same way, and mix it with about half the peppermint crunch.
5) Spread the white chocolate over the dark chocolate.
6) Sprinkle the rest of the peppermint crunch on top, pressing it in gently.
7) Allow the candy to cool until hardened, then break or cut it into chunks.
8) Store airtight at room temperature for up to a week; freeze for longer storage.
Santa loves the music of the season! Visit Denny Lyon Gifts @ CafePress.com - see what's new!
Christmas poinsettia vintage design updated in soft winter pales with Happy Holidays greeting suitable for the holiday season! Visit Denny Lyon Gifts @ CafePress.com - see what's new!
* * * Please support Warriors Pearl Foundation - contributing to fund efforts to help homeless female military veterans come home. Visit Denny Lyon Gifts @ CafePress.com - see what's new! Thank you to all those who are supporting this cause. You rock!
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