Keeli's Culinary Tour: Peppermint Bark, Birdeye

This was my first attempt to make Peppermint Bark....I was a
total dork buying 4 different types of chocolate....(not
pictured is semi-sweet). And not one of my 2 recipes for
peppermint bark called for bittersweet chips, I bought that
by mistake. I realized it after pouring the white chocolate
on top...once cooled I think they taste great with bittersweet
chocolate, we'll see on Saturday...

After the base layer of chocolate cools, you
pour the white chocolate on top

Paula Deen's recipe has you put the peppermint in the
chocolate not on top. I think the peppermint on top is
more colorful though!

You'll want to put it back in the fridge after adding the
white chocolate and peppermints on top. Let it come
to room temperature and then break apart into random chunks

Thankfully Kara suggested that I take back the candy canes
that the recipes called for and buy the ones already broken up
and I think it was a good move because I snacked on the
Andes chips and they were creamy and delicious!

Our Wynne Presbyterian Church had the Christmas program
Sunday...here are our precious angels, Stella, Maggie Neller,
Julia Shepherd and Katie Bradshaw

Sunday, December 16, 2012

For the record, I think it was great bark...delicious! Thanks to Ashley King for saying so too, thanks Ashley! :)

Chloe's there as a cow with August who was her sheep
(and yes, that's a doll as the baby Jesus, thank goodness!)

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Kara wanted to make Peppermint Bark for our annual Birdeye Christmas Party and I wanted to do it since I thought our menu was heavy on her side. So after research, I picked two different recipes for the easy, easy treat. I did buy the wrong candy for one of the recipes and after I realized it, I made it again with the right chips (the correct one was semisweet instead of bittersweet) since I had enough white chocolate.

I found this recipe on the web at the joyofbaking.com:

Peppermint Bark

Line the bottom and sides of an 8 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, smoothing out wrinkles. (I saw the Food Network's video using jelly roll pans with parchment paper and it worked beautifully)

6 oz. semi sweet chocolate, chopped (I used chips)
2 t. vegetable oil
6 oz. white chocolate, chopped (I used Baker's White Chocolate squares and it melted beautifully)
1/3-1/2 C. crushed candy canes (I used 1/2 C. Andes Peppermint Crunch)
(I added a few drops of Peppermint Extract like the Food Network did)

Melt the semi sweet chips with 1 t. vegetable oil in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water (I had it over the heat way to hot, so keep stirring and get it off that heat quick). Immediately pour the melted chocolate into the prepared pan and tilt the pan so the chocolate makes an even layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until the chocolate has set.

Melt the white chocolate with 1 t. vegetable oil in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Immediately pour the white chocolate over the dark chocolate and tilt the pan so the chocolate is in an even layer. Sprinkle the crushed candy cans over the top (I do think it's prettier this way but you can certainly mix them in with the white chocolate and pour over the top) Refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until the chocolate has set. (It takes about 2 hours)

Remove the Peppermint Bark from the pan by lifting the edges of the foil (you don't have to do that with parchment paper, it comes right off). Peel back and break or cut the bark into small irregular pieces. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Makes about 25 pieces. (I did triple the recipe since I have jelly roll pans which is really a cookie sheet with sides).

I'll have to report back after our party on Saturday. I'll take this down if it's terrible. I tried it and loved it by the way! :)