Peppermint Bark

• 1 - 1 1/4 pound white chocolate
• 1 - 1 1/4 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (I used a mix of Scharffenberger/ Callebaut/ Ghirardelli 60-70% bittersweet)
• 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream/1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract (use real, not artificial)
• 6-8 ounces peppermint candy with natural flavouring (8-10 peppermint canes will do nicely)
• *An offset icing spatula is handy

1. Put the candy canes in a plastic Ziploc bag and crush with a meat hammer. You could put them in a food processor to start and then crush the round parts that are left with the rolling pin. The food processor does give you a lot of peppermint "dust" if you like that (good to decorate
2. other cookies with).
3. Line a baking sheet with foil. Chop the bittersweet chocolate with a cleaver or chef's knife and melt it with the cream or butter and 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract. I use the microwave at 40-50% power and never more than 30 seconds at a time. Stir and let sit between microwavings, because the heat will spread and melt the rest of the chocolate once it starts melting. It doesn't have to be gooey, just spreadable. If it is too thick to spread, add a little more cream.
4. Spread the dark chocolate on the foil to a thickness of about 1/3-1/2". Let cool while you melt the white chocolate.
5. Melt the white chocolate until it's spreadable, and stir in about 2/3 of the crushed candy and 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract. Spread the white chocolate over the dark chocolate layer (right to the edges, if possible) and sprinkle with the remaining crushed candy (push down on it to make the larger pieces stick).
6. Let it cool, or even refrigerate it. Slice/chop into manageable pieces.
7. I have also seen recipes using the peppermint bark "crumbs" instead of chocolate chips in cookies!

white chocolate, bittersweet, unsalted butter, peppermint, peppermint

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/peppermint-bark-1252874 (may not work)