Homemade Peppermint Bark

My most recent batch!

A few years ago, my current roommate and I had a Christmas party. One of our parents' friends brought us a gift for hosting. It was the most delicious Peppermint Bark ever. I wanted to get some for my family for Christmas and when I priced it out at Williams & Sonoma (where it had been purchased), I was shocked to find that it cost close to $30 a box. I decided that I would find a way to make it for cheaper.

After lots of trial and error, I have finally found an easy and comparably inexpensive way to make this treat at home. I think that I even like it better than the one from the store and when all is said and done I make about three times the quantity in the box at Williams & Sonoma for less than $20. It makes a great dessert for a Christmas party and I package it up and give it as gifts to my co-workers and friends.

I personally have started using Ghirardelli chocolate bricks from Sam's because they taste amazing and melt really easily. They are 2.5 pounds each (one white and one regular chocolate) for around $7.50 each. You could use any kind of chocolate you have handy and I have even done it with chocolate chips before too. I then buy whole candy canes (I get Bob's from WalMart for .98 cents each) and crush them up myself.

Here is the step by step process.

Homemade Peppermint Bark

• Equal parts white and milk (or semi-sweet) chocolate
• Candy Canes

1. Rough chop your milk chocolate and put it in a microwave safe bowl.

2. Microwave it in 30 second intervals, stirring between each time until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.

3. Pour and spread evenly on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.

4. Put in the fridge for 15 minutes or until hardened.

5. While the first layer is cooling, I chop my white chocolate and crush my candy canes

6. Once the first layer has set, melt the white chocolate and then pour and spread evenly right on top of the first layer.

7. Right after pouring the white chocolate, even sprinkle on crushed candy cane bits.

8. Put whole tray back in the fridge until completely hardened.

9. Once it is set, you can break it up in to bite size pieces.



I store it in an air tight container in the fridge or freezer. I love to find little packages at the dollar store to wrap it up for gifts. This year I found a great deal on DIY Martha Stewart packing at TJMaxx. I ended up getting a set of six of these cute bags for $2.

Enjoy!