Winter Holiday Bark
My friend Julie is always unveiling these delicious candy-like confections when she arrives at book club. To someone more than a little intimidated by candy thermometers, these artful, thin layers of chocolate, peppermint, and nuts look complicated, but Julie always recites the recipe as if it were as simple as tying our shoes and as if tomorrow, in the haze of book club wine glow, I will remember exactly what went into those peanut butter balls.
Recipes are for sharing, and I love the generosity of “oh it’s so simple, here’s how you do it.” Maybe you won’t find it simple when you are melting easy-to-burn white chocolate over a makeshift double boiler alone in the kitchen, but your friend thinks you can do it. Her vote of confidence rings in your ears even as you spill a bag of cocktail peanuts on the floor. “It’s so simple!” If she thinks I can do it, I can.
If confidence comes from competence, as my mom always said, then a kitchen triumph is as good as any to make you feel like you can conquer the world. When I remembered Friday morning that I was supposed to bring dessert to a dinner party 130 miles north that night, I thought of Julie. What’s simple, holiday, can be ready before you need to run off to catch your ride, and is a treat hardy enough to be toted in the back of a Zipcar? You guessed it.
This salty sweet chocolate bark sat on my friend’s kitchen table the entire weekend. Chunks were nabbed at breakfast, as fortification after a winter walk, and during a heated match of Uno. By Sunday afternoon, I carried a near-empty tupperware back to Brooklyn. And as usual, you can trust a real friend: it really is so simple.
Winter Holiday Bark
from Martha Stewart
Makes 1 1/4 pounds
You probably don’t need me to tell you that this would make an excellent edible gift, or that you could gussy up the basic recipe with all kinds of variations: broken up heath bars, salted almonds, candy canes––the sky’s the limit.
White chocolate burns more easily than regular chocolate, apparently, because of its high milk and sugar content. It’s easy enough to melt the bittersweet chocolate in the microwave on medium, but whether you melt the white chocolate in the microwave or over the stove, keep a close eye on it.
8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
7 ounces salted cocktail peanuts (1 1/2 cups)
Place white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until chocolate melts. Remove from heat.
Melt bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Stir in peanuts. Spread on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, spreading peanuts in a single layer.
Drop spoonfuls of white chocolate on top, and swirl chocolates with a skewer. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Break bark into large pieces. Bark will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.
Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday: For the holidays I love to have peppermint bark. I made some recently and it turned out too yummy!
http://gamereviewwiki.com/bikinibirthday/2010/11/18/peppermint-bark/
I like how this recipe uses salted peanuts. Sweet+salty is heavenly1 year ago
Julie: Oh wow, Sarah, this is so sweet!
Your creation looks amazing. Is there anything better than a piece of bark for breakfast?! I think not.1 year ago
Jessica: oh my, those peanut butter balls. yum. tho, i mos def had to ask for the recipe post-haze!1 year ago
Julie, YOU are the sweet one for always bringing delish treats and spreading you-can-do-it-too inspiration! Those peanut butter ball (cookies?) were so nutty good.1 year ago
Elizabeth: YUM. I have been curious about making a chocolate bark-type situation for years and have never gotten around to it. Thanks for the inspiration!1 year ago
Katie @ cakes, tea and dreams: Delish! I can’t wait to try this!1 year ago
Cadi: OK Sarah, I have to ask, as it’s driven me to INSANITY for the many years I’ve been baking – HOW do you get white chocolate to melt nicely? I ruined a batchjjust this weekend, trying to ice pumpkin cookies, I’m always apprehensive to try to melt it. I’ve done double boiler, microwave, everything and I just can’t make it happen.
Any tips?
Your bark came out just beautiful, by the way. I’ve done this (with milk or dark chocolate, of course) and done dried cranberries and pistachios for Christmas bark. It’s so pretty!1 year ago
Cadi, Okay, so I bought bars of Green and Black White Chocolate. Truth be told, I didn’t have the easiest time melting them. Does white chocolate always melt so…gloppily? In any case, it didn’t really matter for the end result. I spooned on the gloppy white chocolate, swirled it around, and no one was the wiser. This was my first time working with white chocolate at all, so I don’t have any other tips, unfortunately. Sorry, Cadi!1 year ago
Rebecca: White chocolate is very fussy. When I melt it, I always use the microwave… I generally use the chips, stick it in a bowl (I use plastic or glass), and then heat it for about a minute at a time (for 2 bags; I stick to 45 seconds for 1 bag) at medium power (40 to 50%). I take it out and stir with a wooden spoon. Depending on how much it has melted, I put it back in for another minute… stir, etc. I stop when it’s almost all melted, and just mix it for a minute or so.. the last chips generally melt as you stir.
Water makes chocolate seize in general, but it can sometimes be rescued by adding a small amount of butter or shortening…
Wow, that was a lot of detail!
Hope that it helps…
Chocolate bark is so easy, and people are always so impressed! I tried a toffee pretzel bark this year that was very easy, and way way too good…1 year ago
Cadi: Sarah – Mine always melts gloppily, I’m beginning to think it’s the nature of the beast, because it certainly can’t be me, right?
Rebecca – thanks for the tips, especially the addition of butter/shortening. I will have to give this another try.1 year ago
Shannan: I just made a heap of chocolate bark today as gifts. The current Food Network magazine has a great feature on this – great photos. The magazine recommended pouring out the chocolate then topping with something crunchy (nuts, crushed peppermints) and something chewy (mini marshmallows, dried fruit). They turned out great and made a lot really quickly compared to cookies. Can’t wait to try this recipe – thanks.1 year ago
Elizabeth: Okay, update: just made a pile of this stuff for the crew of underfed and overtired graduate students coming to my house tonight. I happened to have a few pieces of candied ginger left over from some high-powered gingerbread I made recently, so chopped that up and threw it in. DAMN it is tasty! Thanks again Sarah for the inspiration
1 year ago
I’m with Cadi, Rebecca––thanks for the melting tip!
Shannan, Another idea for “something crunchy” just popped into my head: pretzels. Yum. I love the idea of combining textures.
Elizabeth, First off, that gingerbread sounds FIERCE, and second of all, YAY! So glad you made it. We should all spread the power of bark to underfed overtired graduate students everywhere.1 year ago