Sheet Pan

Triple Chocolate Bark

December  8, 2013
4.5
4 Ratings
  • Serves 1 to 30
Author Notes

Adapted from Orangette's famous peppermint bark. —sarah kieffer | the vanilla bean blog

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60 to 70%), finely chopped
  • 30 hard peppermint candies (or 4 candy canes), coarsely crushed
  • 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 6 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 8 ounces high-quality white chocolate
Directions
  1. On a piece of parchment paper, measure out a 9 x 12 inch rectangle. Turn the paper over (so you won’t get ink/pencil on your bark), and place on a sheet pan.
  2. Place the bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl, and set it over a saucepan of barely simmering water (remember not to let the bottom of the bowl to touch the water). Stir the chocolate every once in awhile, until it is melted and very smooth (about 110° F). Remove from the heat, and pour the chocolate onto the prepared rectangle. Using a cake spatula or a knife, spread the chocolate to fill the rectangle. Sprinkle with half the crushed peppermints, and then chill until set, about 15 minutes.
  3. While it sets, combine the semi-sweet chocolate, cream, and peppermint extract. Again, warm over the barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is smooth. Cool the chocolate until lukewarm, about 5 minutes. Pour the semi-sweet chocolate mixture over the first chocolate rectangle, and spread the semi-sweet chocolate in an even layer. Chill until very cold and firm, about 40 minutes.
  4. Warm the the white chocolate over barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Quickly pour the white chocolate over the firm semi-sweet layer, and use a clean spatula to spread it over evenly. Sprinkle with the remaining crushed peppermints, then chill just until firm, about 20 minutes.
  5. Move the parchment to a cutting board. Trim away any uneven edges of the rectangle, and then cut the bark crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 3 sections, and then cut each section diagonally into 2 triangles.
  6. Put the bark in an airtight container, with parchment paper between layers of bark to prevent them from sticking to one another. Store the chocolate bark in the refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. The bark should last 2 or more weeks.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Can I have a bite?
    Can I have a bite?
  • Ashley Marie
    Ashley Marie
  • sarah kieffer | the vanilla bean blog
    sarah kieffer | the vanilla bean blog
  • kim
    kim
A baker's soliloquy. You can follow along at thevanillabeanblog.com.

11 Reviews

kim November 28, 2020
I make this every year now and people seem to really like it. I use peppermint oil (food grade), just a few drops. Have a light hand when spreading the white chocolate, use an offset spatula or back of tablespoon.
 
ana December 21, 2016
How does this compare with the Williams Sonoma peppermint bark?
 
karencooks December 22, 2015
You just can't go wrong making this delicious candy for Christmas!
 
Katie K. December 20, 2015
The bottom 2 layers worked out great, but when I went to melt the white chocolate it seized up and became unspreadable... did I heat it too fast? How do I stop that from happening?
 
kim December 5, 2015
Made this and followed recipe as written. Smooth and delicious, will make good gifts for coworkers if we don't eat it all first! Pretty and worth the time.
 
Can I. December 19, 2014
Mine is cooling now and I'm sure will be delicious, but I'm wondering about tips for the top layer. The white chocolate quickly began to melt the ganache layer and as I was spreading it, the ganache swirled with the white chocolate. It's still pretty, but I'm wondering how you got the top layer so pristine.
 
Nicole December 14, 2014
This bark is incredible both in it's simplicity and it's taste. It melts in your mouth. It takes a while to make but none of the time is spent doing anything technical or complicated. It simply takes time for the chocolate to firm up in between layers. Highly recommend this recipe!
 
richard P. December 6, 2014
I just made this recipe. Definitely want to use the peppermint extract. Great recipe! Loved how they turned out!
 
foglette December 2, 2014
has anyone tried the recipe without the peppermint extract? Does it work? Will I get that hint of peppermint from the candies alone?
 
Ashley M. December 23, 2013
This was super yummy! I wanted to add something to our cookie bags for our neighbors that was different - This was easy to make and looked gorgeous once all cut and cracked up!
 
sarah K. December 23, 2013
Thanks Ashley! I'm so glad you liked it. Happy holidays!