Chocolate Candy Bark (Peppermint Chocolate and Orange White Chocolate)

Christmas Cookie Exchanges - One of the life's true dichotomies.  I loathe to bake but love to eat what other people bake for me. This year I went looking for the easiest recipes that tasted and presented beautifully.  Here's what I came up with. I have given it to friends and strangers. The strangers are now my minions...

If you know how to make one type it's ridiculously simple to adjust and make a pile of different types. It takes about 30 minutes from start to set.

I am going to give you the base ingredients for any type of bark.

Stuff You'll Need (Otherwise Known as Ingredients and Supplies)

24-36 oz of White/Milk/Semi Chocolate Coating (I buy it at the Bulk Barn (link) - It's also known as Almond Bark or Chocolate Candy Coating. I do not use straight up Chocolate for the base as it sometimes can be a little finicky to work with)

Extract (I use mint, orange, even lemon in each recipe)

Gel Food Colouring (I recommend not using liquid food colouring as the blending to get the colour can be problematic - at least for me)

Cookie Pan

Wax Paper

Notes:

I've used Candy Canes, Peanut Butter, Candied Orange, Candied Lemon in various concoctions. It really is quite endless.

Peppermint Chocolate Bark

This one is wonderful for Christmas or if you are like me and love mint... Any time, any where!

Things You'll Do (Otherwise Known as Directions)

Measure out 24 oz of Dark Chocolate Candy Coating and chop .  Place in a Microwave safe bowl.

Microwave in 45 seconds - 1 minute intervals, stirring well in between. Don't over microwave, stirring takes care of melting once heated.

Once melted, I added droplets of mint stirring in between until I got to a delicate mint taste.  Then spread on wax paper-covered cookie pan.

Melt 8oz of White Chocolate Candy Coating (in another 

proof bowl) similar to above.

Once melted take an additional bowl and put a couple of tablespoons of white candy coating in to be coloured.

Now dollop randomly the white and coloured candy coating on top.

Now take a butter knife and drag it through.

Last thing is crushed candy canes to sprinkle on top.

Pop in fridge or on counter until it sets.  In fridge takes about 15 mins.

Take knife and crack it.

Ta Da!!!

Next we are trying a variation of the same.  This time I actually melted 1 Cup of Chocolate Chips (I ran out of the Dark Chocolate Candy Coating)

Orange Chocolate Bark

Melt 24 oz of the White Candy Coating and spread over wax paper-lined cookie pan.  Add Orange Extract in drops until desired taste - it may use a little bit more than the mint so keep trying and tasting.

Melt 1 Cup of Dark Chocolate (Chips or Candy Coating)

Dollop Dark Chocolate on top and drag through designs with butter knife.

Add candied orange pieces on top. (yes I made my own candied orange pieces)

Pop in fridge or on counter until it sets.  In fridge takes about 15 mins.

Take knife and crack it.

Other Flavours

Take 1/2 Cup of Chunky Peanut Butter, Mix with 24 oz of melted white chocolate coating and spread on pan. Melt 1 Cup of Chocolate Chips and dollop on top.  Drag through with butter knife for design.  Let set.

Enjoy!

Cheers,

Lori