Chocolate Peppermint Bark Shards (Printable Version)
A festive, rich chocolate and peppermint treat ideal for holiday snacking or gifting.
# Ingredient List:
→ Chocolate Layers
01 - 7 oz high-quality dark chocolate (60–70% cacao), chopped
02 - 7 oz high-quality white chocolate, chopped
→ Peppermint
03 - 1/2 tsp pure peppermint extract, divided
04 - 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies (3 large peppermint candy canes or 10 peppermint hard candies)
# Directions:
01 - Line a 9x13 inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Melt dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water or in 30-second bursts in the microwave, stirring until smooth. Stir in 1/4 tsp peppermint extract.
03 - Pour melted dark chocolate onto the prepared baking sheet and spread evenly to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Refrigerate for 10–15 minutes until just set.
04 - Using the same method, melt white chocolate and stir in remaining 1/4 tsp peppermint extract.
05 - Pour white chocolate over set dark chocolate layer and gently spread to cover quickly to prevent melting the base layer.
06 - Immediately sprinkle crushed peppermint candies evenly over the white chocolate, pressing lightly for adhesion.
07 - Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until fully set.
08 - Lift the chocolate slab from the pan using parchment and break into irregular shards by hand.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It tastes like the holidays in your mouth—rich, cool, and undeniably festive without any pretension.
- You'll have it done and chilled in under an hour, which means more time to actually enjoy the season instead of being stuck in the kitchen.
- This is the kind of treat people request by name, and the ingredients list is so short you probably already have everything at home.
02 -
- Temperature matters enormously—if your dark chocolate layer is still too soft when you add white chocolate, they'll merge into a muddy middle instead of staying visibly separate, so don't rush that first chill.
- The peppermint candies must go on while the white chocolate is still slightly tacky, or they'll slide right off when you move the bark around, and there's nothing more disappointing than bald patches.
03 -
- Invest in a good chocolate thermometer if you're serious about this—knowing your chocolate is the right temperature takes all the guesswork out of melting and prevents that grainy texture that ruins everything.
- Crushing the candies with the side of a knife gives you more control than a food processor, which can pulverize them into dust instead of those satisfying crunchy pieces.