Peppermint Bark

My obsession with Bark continues!  My husband loves Williams Sonoma Peppermint Bark.  Every year I buy him some for Christmas.  It is expensive and this year we decided to make our own.  We melted 9 ounces of milk chocolate.  Poured it onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and chilled it until it set - at least twenty minutes.  Then I melted 12 ounces of white chocolate and poured it on top of the milk chocolate.  While it was still wet I added crushed candy canes.  I used my fingers to push the candy canes into the bark to help it stick.  Then I chilled it again until it was set.  The hardest part is waiting for it to be finished!!  It is good, my husband says as good as Williams Sonoma!!

Other Christmas projects we worked on were....

Alex and his friend, Jack, decorated Gingerbread houses!

For a quick treat I bought fudge covered Oreos and decorated them with green candy melts.  It was so easy to decorate.  I threw a handful of candy melts into a disposable decorating bag.  Melted in the microwave - about 10 seconds.  Snipped the end off the bag and decorated.

We made Nicole's from Life's a Batch's Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies which we left for Santa.  I did speak to him and he loved them.  I love Nicole's site and these cookies are really yummy!  (not sure why the picture is sideways :0)

And last but not least, Brownie Bites!  Remember the Candy Cane Kiss Brownie Bites?  I changed it up a bit.  We made them with mint truffle Hershey kisses in the center and Andes Candy chopped on top.  Yum!

And a confession - I didn't make any Christmas sugar cookies!!  Bad, bad, baker!!!  I just ran out of time.  It was so crazy this year!!  I hope you all had a great holiday season.  And that you got everything you wanted from Santa!  I got two new cookbooks that I am really excited to start baking from.  This next year should be full of lots of new experiments!!  Happy New Year!

This post may be shared with:
Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms - Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Sweetology - Tea Party Tuesday
Crazy for Crust - Crazy Sweet Tuesday
Mrs Fox's Sweets - Sweet Party
Junk In Their Trunk - Link It Up Wednesday
Hugs and Cookies XO - Wonka Wednesday
Something Swanky - Sweet Treat Thursday
Talking Dollars and Cents - Sweet Temptations
Happy Hour Projects - Freestyle Friday
Toys In The Dryer - Fun Stuff Fridays
Alli-n-Son - Sweet Tooth Friday
Well Seasoned Life - Sweet Indulgences Sunday
JDaniel4's Mom- Christmas Traditions Link Up

Turtle Bark

Pin It

My obsession with Bark continues.  I think what I love about it most is that it is so easy to make.  The hardest part is waiting for it to chill before you eat it.  I joined Danielle's at Hugs and Cookies XOXO Weekly Bake Along which you can find on her Facebook page.  This week the Bake Along was Caramel Pecan Bark - or Turtle Bark.  Yummy - I had to join!

I know the first time I made bark I used dark chocolate and decided I preferred milk chocolate.  But this recipe calls for dark chocolate so I gave it one more try - I am glad I did.  It is so delicious!

I prepared my 8x8 pan by lining it with parchment paper so the bark wouldn't stick to it.  I melted my dark chocolate chips in a double boiler and spread half of it in the pan.  Chilled it for 5 minutes and ready for the next layer which is caramel and pecans.  Is your mouth watering yet?

I didn't toast my pecans as the recipe says to do.  I love pecans the way they are and so I left them that way.  Now on to the caramel.  I was a little intimidated.  I have never made caramel or any candy and I had heard it was hard.  You must get it to a specific temperature - right?  I don't even own a candy thermometer (yet!).  But the recipe (see bottom of the post) sounded like something I could do - so what the heck!  This is an experiment you know :)

I put the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat and I was off.  It was a lot easier than I thought and when I was done I really did have caramel!  Much to my own amazement, not that hard!!

I don't know why the picture is sideways!!  If you know why it is doing this let me know!!


I took the bark out of the fridge, added a layer of caramel and pecans and put it back in the fridge.  One more layer of chocolate, then more caramel and pecans and voila!  You are done.  I did chill it after the final layer for quite awhile - say 30 minutes.  Which is an eternity when you are waiting to try it.  I loved it, in fact I am eating it right now :)


Turtle Bark - Recipe by Hugs and Cookies XOXO (slightly modified)

-16 oz dark chocolate chips
-1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons pecans (separated)

Caramel Filling:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 5 tablespoons heavy cream

1. Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper.

2.  For the Caramel Filling (You can do this!):
Put sugar and water into a saucepan over medium low heat stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Increase heat to high using the handle of the pot to give the pot a swirl to keep the mixture moving.  Do not stir directly at this point.  The mixture will start to bubble when it turns medium amber in color (approximately 5-7 minutes), add the butter and heavy cream to the saucepan.  The mixture will bubble a lot!!  Whisk to combine.  Set aside and cool completely.  Reserve 2 tablespoons for topping.

3.  Pour half of the melted chocolate into your pan and smooth.  Place pan in refrigerator for at least 5 minutes. 

4.  Remove from refrigerator and pour all of caramel except 2 tablespoons into pan.  Gently sprinkle 1/2 cup of pecans onto the caramel and press into caramel lightly with your hand.  Place in refrigerator for 7-10 minutes. 

5.  Pour remaining chocolate on top and refrigerate for 20 minutes so the bark can set.

6.  When bark is set sprinkle top with 2 tablespoons of pecans.  Place your remaining 2 tablespoons of caramel in plastic sandwich bag.  Cut small corner of bag off and drizzle caramel over pecans.  Enjoy!!!

Shared With:

Sweetology - Tea Party Tuesday
Crazy for Crust - Crazy Sweet Tuesday
Junk in Their Trunk - Link it Up Wednesday
These Peas Taste Funny - Link It Up Thursday

Cake Batter Chocolate Bark

Two things I love - chocolate (of course) and other blogs about food.  I found another blog called How Sweet It Is.  As I was looking around I found a recipe for Cake Batter Chocolate Bark.  Cake batter and chocolate?  I love it!  I am always getting in trouble for eating the batter so this recipe sounded like a way for me to get what I love and not get in so much trouble.

The recipe was easy and didn't take that long.  I used a double boiler to melt my dark chocolate. 

Poured it onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and put it in the freezer for 20 minutes. 

Then melted my white chocolate and whisked in the cake batter, poured it on top of the dark chocolate, added sprinkles and back in the freezer for 20 more unbearable minutes!!  When it is done chilling break into chunks.

The end result was fantastic and everyone loved it.  While you are not eating it, which is hard to imagine, you must keep it in the fridge.  We didn't have that problem.  Next time we are going to try it with milk chocolate and peppermint (special request :)).