If you love to make delicious treats for the holidays, then try this easy Angel Peppermint Bark. The secret to this candy is the white chocolate. Many similar recipes call for almond bark instead, but it produces candy that is somewhat waxy because of the paraffin content of the almond bark. Make this Angel Peppermint Bark with white chocolate and it will turn out smooth, rich, and creamy ?and not waxy at all.
ANGEL PEPPERMINT BARK
1 lb. white chocolate, chopped into small pieces
6 candy canes
Peppermint oil (optional)
Small to medium angel-shaped cookie cutter (or other holiday-shaped cutter)
1. Line a small cookie sheet with wax paper and set aside.
2. In the top of a double boiler, melt white chocolate, stirring constantly.
3. Unwrap candy canes and put them in a large self-sealing plastic storage bag. With a meat mallet, pound candy canes into small pieces.
4. Stir the pieces of candy cane into the melted chocolate. Remove from heat, and pour the mixture onto the prepared cookie sheet; spread evenly. Chill until slightly firm, then use an angel-shaped cookie cutter and carefully cut the chocolate mixture into angel shapes. Chill the angels until completely set ?25 to 30 minutes.
VARIATION: If you don’t want to make the candy in angel shapes or other holiday shapes, you can simply chill the mixture on the cookie sheet until firm, then break into pieces, and serve. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
NOTE: Instead of a double boiler, the white chocolate can be melted in a microwave. Put the white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave for 2 minutes (at medium power). Take the chocolate out and stir. Put back in the microwave for 2 more minutes, then stir. Keep doing this until all the white chocolate has melted.
For a stronger peppermint flavor, stir in 1/4 tsp. of peppermint oil into the melted white chocolate and candy cane mixture before pouring the mixture onto the cookie sheet.
Suzanne Lieurance is a freelance writer and owner of the Three Angels Gourmet Co. which produces a unique line of "heavenly gourmet mixes" for sale at: http://www.threeangelsgourmet.com For additional food information and daily tips, visit the Three Angels Gourmet Co. blog at http://www.threeangelsgourmet.blogspot.com