The Peppermint Bark Cookbook: Over 75 Recipes for Delicious Homemade Treats, from Milkshakes to Cheesecakes
by Dominique DeVito
Cider Mill Press, 2016, 200 pages
Peppermint is such a favorite of mine; I can't let any winter season pass without making at least one or two treasured treats that include this flavoring. And I am up for any recipe that I can add it to. The holidays fast approach, and if you love Peppermint, then you will want to try out these recipes for making scrumptious, peppermint flavored treats for you and your family and friends. There are included over 20 recipe variations for peppermint bark, as well as treats of cakes, truffles and a few cocktails and hot chocolate thrown in. All easy and all well laid out. There are recipes like Baco-Mint Bark, Mocha Fudge, Peppermint Bark Brownies, Pineapple Bark Bites, Sweet n' Salty Bark and much more. I know we all make some sort of treat or treats over the holidays from recipes that have passed down to us, but often we will also try out one or two new ones, so this recipe book is just the thing with an assortment of different recipes to try. To give you a sneak peek, this recipe is from page 26 of the book,
"Here's a recipe that makes what could be considered the quintessential peppermint bark...It's so easy to make and is just delicious. The quality starts with the ingredients, so splurge on this one. Use really good chocolate, like Valrhona, Ghirardelli or Guittard, for both the dark and white chocolates. The addition of vegetable oil gives the candy the glossiness you find with store-bought bark," states the author.
BASIC BARK
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, broken into pieces
12 ounces white chocolate, broken into pieces
2 teaspoons vegetable oil (no substitutes)
3/4 cup crushed peppermint candy (candy canes or starlight mints)
Line a cookie or baking sheet with parchment paper. In a strong plastic bag, use a hammer to break candy into shards. Put pieces into a bowl and set aside. Melt the semi-sweet chocolate in a double boiler or saucepan set over boiling water. Alternatively, put the chocolate pieces in a microwave-safe bowl and melt in 20-30 second increments, stirring after each one, until chocolate is just melted. You want to melt the chocolate slowly. When melted, stir in 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil. Pour the chocolate onto the cookie sheet and use a spatula to spread it as evenly as possible over the parchment paper. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes until set. Next, melt the white chocolate the same way, being careful to melt slowly and thoroughly. Pour the white chocolate over the set semi-sweet chocolate, using a spatula to spread it as evenly as possible. Sprinkle toe peppermint pieces liberally and evenly over the white chocolate, pressing lightly into the layer of white chocolate. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes until set. Lift the candy off the parchment paper, breaking into pieces as you do. Refrigerate the bark until ready to eat. Makes 2 dozen pieces.
The author has a background in publishing and has authored a wide variety of books on the subjects of dogs, decorating and cooking, such as 500 Kitchen Ideas, Everything Dog Book: Learn to train and understand your furry best friend!, and Paleo Slow Cooking, as well as The Peppermint Bark Cookbook. She eventually bought a winery, creating a small business and it has been an enjoyable adventure that has helped to spark her interests in agriculture, wine making, marketing, retail sales, and owning a small business.
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