What is chocolate bark? You will see it in supermarkets; what it is, basically, is melted chocolate that has been embellished with additions and then allowed to cool and set. At a minimum it would be very easy to melt 8 ounces of milk chocolate, stir in some--let us say--Arizona pistachios that have just been harvested, and pour the chocolate onto a cool surface like a jelly-roll pan and there you go. An article that I read on Huffington Post's Food page says:
"Back in the day, candy makers needed to do something with their scrap pieces of chocolate and charge money for them so they melted down their scrap pieces of chocolate into rectangles."
You can see a version of this in Lindt peppermint squares. These little wrapped candies combine white and dark chocolate, with peppermint crumbles mixed into the white chocolate on top. But you can make them easier than you can buy them, considering that you can just pick up the chocolates at most supermarkets, unwrap a few candy canes and crush them, and make the bark one afternoon when you don't have to go out (crushing up the peppermint hard candy is the fun part).
To make the project easier, follow the basic directions below and then start improvising.
PEPPERMINT BARK
Ingredients:
6 oz milk chocolate
12 oz white chocolate
3 tsp vegetable oil
1/3 crushed candy cane pieces
Line the bottom and sides of an 9" x 9" square baking pan with non-stick aluminum foil, smoothing out any wrinkles.
Melt the white chocolate and 2 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Immediately pour half of the melted chocolate into the prepared pan and tilt the pan so the chocolate makes an even layer. Place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes, or until the chocolate has set.
Melt the milk chocolate and 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Immediately pour the melted chocolate into the prepared pan and tilt the pan so the chocolate makes an even layer. Place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes, or until the chocolate has set.
Repeat with another layer of white chocolate with the remaining chocolate and tilt the pan for an even layer. Do not place the candy in the refrigerator, but immediately sprinkle the crushed candy canes evenly over the white chocolate quickly. Place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, or until the chocolate has set.
Remove the Peppermint Bark from the pan by lifting the edges of the aluminum foil. Peel back the foil and break the bark into small irregular pieces. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Be sure to have the crushed peppermint bits ready or you'll have hard chocolate before you are ready, by the way.
Substitute mint chocolate for the white chocolate above and you'll be headed towards Andes mint square-type candy, only this is where you could sprinkle the pistachios and go with that (the flecks of green in the nuts will pick up the mint chocolate.
Substitute toffee for peppermint candy and you could even sprinkle twice, once with the crushed toffee and then with ground walnuts over the top like expensive imported toffee. I am sure you are beginning to see possibilities, so I will just add one caution and get out of your way.
Do not attempt to make this type of candy with chocolate chips of any description; they will not come out right. Chocolate chips are processed to melt at higher temperatures; buy the candy in cooking bar form.
If you are looking all over for a variety of candy-chocolate, go directly to Sprouts because they have an amazing variety of chocolate (I have said quite a few times). I know from experience that they have bulk white, milk and dark chocolate from the great chocolatier Callebaut. However, mint chocolate is not as easy to come by in bar or bulk form. If you have become dead set on a layer of mint chocolate, do what I would do and buy a package of mint chips, but resist the other types of chips for the reason given above.
By the way, I read in many magazines where this answer is given when readers ask the editors if chocolate chips can be substituted for baking/cooking chocolate. The answer is always No, don't try it. So I feel pretty good about giving this advice every time I discuss cooking with chocolate.
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