Homemade Peppermint Bark With Dark and White Chocolate Layers

Jack suggested adding white chocolate over the dark chocolate in my first batch of peppermint bark. That extra layer made thicker pieces, with crushed peppermint scattered through the chocolate and over the top. I chilled the dark layer for an hour before adding the white, then left the finished bark in the refrigerator overnight.

Chocolate chips and crushed peppermint

I used one bag of dark chocolate chips and one bag of white chips. The original recipe graphic below calls for a 10-ounce package of chips for a single layer, with white or dark chocolate as the choice and an optional second layer. It does not give a measured amount of peppermint candy or a serving yield.

• Dark chocolate chips for the bottom layer
• White chocolate chips for the optional top layer
• Peppermint candies, crushed into small pieces and shavings

You will also need a foil-lined cookie sheet and a bag for crushing the candies.

Melt, spread, and chill the layers

1. Put the peppermint candies in a bag and crush them. We used light taps with a hammer, leaving a mixture of pieces and fine shavings.
2. Melt the dark chocolate chips in the microwave according to the package instructions. Microwave power varies, so check the chocolate as it melts to avoid scorching it.
3. Spread the melted chocolate on the foil-lined cookie sheet and sprinkle it with crushed peppermint. Refrigerate for an hour.
4. For the layered version shown here, melt the white chips in a separate batch and spread them over the chilled dark chocolate. Add peppermint on top, then refrigerate again. I left mine overnight.
5. Once the bark has set, break it into pieces.

A ribbon-wrapped jar for gifting

I packed pieces of the finished bark in a mason jar and wrapped ribbon around it for a hostess gift. The red-and-white candy and ribbon carried the same colors through the whole arrangement.

The original recipe graphic is included below. Its one-hour chilling instruction covers the first layer; my two-layer batch received the additional overnight chill described above.

For another homemade treat, my peanut butter chocolate chip cookies use a short ingredient list.