Favorite "Bark" Recipes?

[tammylc]

I'm looking for some quick and simple chocolate bark recipes to round out my holiday baked goods tray. I've done white chocolate-candy cane bark before, and may do that again (melt white chocolate, crush candy canes, mix, spread and chill - very festive). I have a friend who does "Tiger Bark" - white chocolate mixed with peanut butter, and combined with dark or milk chocolate. It's really good, but I need to track down a recipe.

Any other suggestions, recipes?

[tryska]

i want to do a peppermint bark that has dark chocolate on the bottom, and then the white chocolate with the candy canes.

it would be cool i think if the dark chocolate had peppermint flavor. I haven't figured out how to do this all yet tho.

[tammylc]

i want to do a peppermint bark that has dark chocolate on the bottom, and then the white chocolate with the candy canes.

it would be cool i think if the dark chocolate had peppermint flavor. I haven't figured out how to do this all yet tho.

Sounds good! Would you mix the candy canes into white chocolate, or just sprinkle them on top?

How about some sort of mint oil for the chocolate? Would that work?

[Larry]

i want to do a peppermint bark that has dark chocolate on the bottom, and then the white chocolate with the candy canes.

it would be cool i think if the dark chocolate had peppermint flavor. I haven't figured out how to do this all yet tho.

I make a triple layer peppermint bark, with dark chocolate on the outside and white in the middle. It's beautiful when you break it into pieces. Also, I pulverize the candy canes into a powder so it makes the chocolate extra smooth.

Other favourites of mine are cranberry and hazelnut, macadamia and candied orange zest.

[tryska]

that's what i was thinking. haven't made chocolate since i was in high school, but i'm guessing, using a peppermint oil in the dark chocolate, melt that down, spread it out, let it cool, and then melt the white chocolate, add the crushed peppermint to that and spread it on top....

i need to get ingredients and experiment.

[tryska]

i want to do a peppermint bark that has dark chocolate on the bottom, and then the white chocolate with the candy canes.

it would be cool i think if the dark chocolate had peppermint flavor.  I haven't figured out how to do this all yet tho.

I make a triple layer peppermint bark, with dark chocolate on the outside and white in the middle. It's beautiful when you break it into pieces. Also, I pulverize the candy canes into a powder so it makes the chocolate extra smooth.

Other favourites of mine are cranberry and hazelnut, macadamia and candied orange zest.

wait a second - so are the canes mixed throughout both the white and dark?

i can definitely see that being stunning. especially if chunky bits of peppermint were left in the white part.

[Joni]

Larry...can you explain in detail how you do your triple bark? Sounds terrific!

[Larry]

I pulverize candy candy canes to a medium fine powder in the mini chopper. (I like to use the traditional red and green canes that are so hard to find now...at least in Montreal)

Then I melt dark chocolate, (I never weigh it, sorry), stir in 2/3 of candy and pour half on to a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.

Let it set for about 30 mintues.

Then do the same with white chocolate and pour that one on top, let it set and then finish off with the rest of the dark.

It's nice to sprinkle coarsley chopped candy canes on top.

It's the first thing my friends run for at my annual holiday gathering!!!

[tryska]

how do you think it would work, larry if i used peppermint oil in the dark chocolate, and the chunkier bits of cane in the white? I would like to copy you with that 3rd layer tho, for presentations sake.

[Larry]

how do you think it would work, larry if i used peppermint oil in the dark chocolate, and the chunkier bits of cane in the white? I would like to copy you with that 3rd layer tho, for presentations sake.

I have never tried peppermint oil, perhaps I will this year, but I like to stick to what I know works. The extra on top just makes it so much prettier.

[tammylc]

Thanks, Larry - that sounds awesome! I think I'll give it a go, too, if you don't mind...

What kind/brand of chocolate do y'all like using?

[Andrew Fenton]

I have just finished off a tin of Trader Joe's peppermint bark that was outstanding: peppermint-infused dark chocolate, white chocolate and small candy-cane chunks on top. My only regret is that I went nearly thirty years on this planet before discovering this amazing confection...

[tryska]

well i'm glad the peppermint infused dark chocolate tastes good - now i'm going to have to experiment with it at home.

[alanamoana]

just made some with dried cherries and almonds (a generous dash of salt, as well). dark chocolate. taste nice and not too sweet.

[Darienne]

Time to bring back this wonderful thread. What new and unusual barks have eGulleters been making? Or old. Old is good too.

I need to make some dark chocolate and milk chocolates barks in the next two days. I found a lovely Aztec bark recipe online which I am going to try, but am open to suggestions...well, no bacon please...these are for friends and acquaintances.

[Lior]

I make a freeze dried strawberry bark with cranberries and dried fruits and nuts. I like it, but most people here seem to think pink chocolate is a bit odd!!!! I guess it could be cool with peppermint and white chocolate marbled in...

[Kerry Beal]

Bacon and smoked salt, humbug, candy cane, salt and pink peppercorn, rocky road and of course almond.

[patris]

Bacon and smoked salt, humbug, candy cane, salt and pink peppercorn, rocky road and of course almond.

Humbug? What is this, that sounds so intriguing and also descriptive of my general holiday demeanor?

[JAZ]

I've done a dark chocolate bark with toffee almonds the last couple of years, which goes over well with my family and friends.

[emmalish]

I haven't made this myself, but I just had some amazing bark at work the other day. Dark chocolate with orange zest, dried cranberries and rice crispies.

[Kerry Beal]

Bacon and smoked salt, humbug, candy cane, salt and pink peppercorn, rocky road and of course almond.

Humbug? What is this, that sounds so intriguing and also descriptive of my general holiday demeanor?

Humbugs are a great little hard candy - found in english grandmother's purses. They are a little minty and little caramelly - yummy little suckers. You bash those up and put them in dark chocolate and they make a lovely bark. It can be rather hard to find humbugs these days - stores with old fashioned candies will often have them.

Oh yeah, I forgot - I've been making pop rock bark too. When I was down visiting you the last time I found the candy cane flavoured pop rocks at Wegmans and I've used those in the chocolate and topped with a bit of crushed candy cane for decoration.

[patris]

Bacon and smoked salt, humbug, candy cane, salt and pink peppercorn, rocky road and of course almond.

Humbug? What is this, that sounds so intriguing and also descriptive of my general holiday demeanor?

Humbugs are a great little hard candy - found in english grandmother's purses. They are a little minty and little caramelly - yummy little suckers. You bash those up and put them in dark chocolate and they make a lovely bark. It can be rather hard to find humbugs these days - stores with old fashioned candies will often have them.

Oh yeah, I forgot - I've been making pop rock bark too. When I was down visiting you the last time I found the candy cane flavoured pop rocks at Wegmans and I've used those in the chocolate and topped with a bit of crushed candy cane for decoration.

Interesting! There's an old time candy shop not far from here - we'll have to check it out next time you're here. And I forgot about those pop rocks!

[Darienne]

Thanks for all the ideas. Once again, I forgot to check 'watch this topic' and wondered why no one responded. Idiote.

I love the idea of the orange zest and dried cranberries. I think I would go with nuts. But then anything with orange and cranberries is in with me.

Toffee almonds I assume are candied almonds?

I found a recipe online called 'Three Chocolate Bark with Spiced Pecans and Dried Cherries' by Emeril Lagasse which sounds good. Also a very fruit laden bark in a local chain grocery store handout. The photo entices. And the 'Aztec Chocolate Bark' also online in 'Simply Recipes'. I've only made very plain barks in the past.

Have these wonderful little red and green plastic tubs with lids which I bought last year in a Moab dollar type store, and the tubs make the most beautiful bark tablets. First found the 'tablet' idea in Andrew Shotts' Making Artisan Chocolates, my very first chocolate cookbook purchase. I place the tablets on a piece of gold cardboard and they wrap beautifully.

[JAZ]

Toffee almonds I assume are candied almonds?

The almonds are cooked with sugar until the sugar melts, then tossed with a little butter and salt. I posted the recipe here.

[Darienne]

The almonds are cooked with sugar until the sugar melts, then tossed with a little butter and salt. I posted the recipe here.

Life is so full of co-incidences. I have a bookmark in that very recipe in Recchuiti. I've used that technique on a variety of nuts and nibs before. I do like his book.

Thanks, JAZ