Friday, December 04, 2009

White Chocolate Holiday Bark



I am in full holiday mode now-we bought our Christmas tree last night and did some decorating. This is our first year having our own tree-we usually travel for the holidays, but this year we are staying home. I am excited to start our own traditions. We both have all of our ornaments from when we were kiddies, the tree is random, but in a good way:)

I made a batch of
chocolate bark at Halloween and everyone loved it. It is the perfect quick candy for any holiday. I always make the traditional peppermint bark, but this year I branched out and made a sampler platter. I created: cranberry almond bark, pretzel M&M bark, and the classic peppermint bark. It was fun mixing things up.



The white chocolate base goes nicely with all of the flavors. Cranberry and almond are the perfect holiday combination. The pretzel bark tastes like chocolate dipped pretzels, without all of the work. And of course the peppermint bark is delicious and refreshing-everyone loves this stuff!

If you need an easy treat to make for your neighbors, family, and friends-make my holiday bark. Try all three flavors-they are all wonderful!



My dear friend Gaby, from What’s Gaby Cooking?, created a Winter White Chocolate Mix that looks amazing! It is White Chocolate Friday:) Make this sweet snack to munch on during the holidays!

And some good news-my
Apple Cinnamon Cookie Bars were featured on Saveur-the best of the web! Yahoo!



White Chocolate Holiday Bark

(Printable Recipe)

14 ounces white chocolate
Dried cranberries
Sliced almonds
Crushed pretzels
Mini M&M's-red and green
Holiday sprinkles
Crushed candy canes

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. (I used my Silpat)
2. Place the white chocolate in a metal bowl. Put the metal bowl over a pot of simmering water. Make sure the bowl does not touch the water. Stir the chocolate frequently with a rubber spatula. When the chocolate is smooth and fully melted, remove the bowl from the heat. Wipe off the bowl if there is any condensation.
3. Let the white chocolate cool for a minute or two. Stir to make sure it doesn't harden. Pour the chocolate onto the baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat. Spread it with a spatula until it is about 3/8 inch thick.
4. Sprinkle the toppings over the white chocolate. I did this in sections-a section for the cranberry almond, a section for the pretzel, M&M, sprinkles, and a section for the candy canes.
5. Let the chocolate cool and harden. I put the pan in the refrigerator. It was ready in about 30-45 minutes.
7. Once the chocolate is set and hard, break bark into pieces.

If you like my holiday bark, you might also like:
Peppermint Bark Chocolate Cookies from Genesis of a Cook
Peppermint Bark Cookies from Two Peas and Their Pod
White Chocolate Bark with Fresh Mint and Berries from Serious Eats

42 comments:

  1. I really love chocolate bark, especially white chocolate. I have just been in a white chocolate mood lately. Yay for the Christmas season! The best time of year :D

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  2. So pretty- would make a fabulous gift. Love all of the different colors. We're going to get our tree this weekend, I can hardly wait

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  3. I've never made my own - this looks gorgeous! I may gift these!!

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  4. That's great that the tree is full of both of your ornaments! My mom keeps asking which ones from when I was a kid I want to take to use once I'm married. It's so hard to pick!

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  5. always the perfect gift to give this time of year.

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  6. This looks good and so simple. Your combos get me thinking of different things I could use that I just have a little of but could combine with something else to "stretch" it a bit. Thanks for a good idea!

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  7. So glad you put up your tree!! Love the festive bark candy too :)

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  8. These do look tasty. And easy. Haven't made in ages.

    Glad for your first Christmas at home. ENJOY!!! Buy a new ornament and start a tradition.

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  9. Peppermint bark is my favorite holiday treat! I will have to give these other flavors a try too. Yummy!

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  10. They're all so pretty, and so easy! Great, quick gifts! And it's chocolate--who could say no?

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  11. The cranberry almond is particularly pretty

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  12. How festive! I love the variety!

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  13. These look so pretty and festive! Love the happy colours.

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  14. I never knew what almond bark was until I saw your post. Thanks for the recipe and ideas!

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  15. I usually add some pistachios to my bark which gives me that green and red holiday feeling. It is the best isn't it:D

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  16. We're getting our tree this weekend - I can't wait :) The bark looks yummy and I love the one with the pretzels.

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  17. great variety, maria--i'd love them all, but i'll always stay true to white chocolate peppermint bark. i'm not convinced it can be beaten!

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  18. I love making peppermint bark, so festive! Since white chocolate covered pretzels are one of my fave snacks, I should try the pretzel bark!

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  19. This bark is so festive! I love how the holiday colors pop against the white chocolate. But I wish I liked white chocolate more... I think this would be sooo good with dark chocolate!

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  20. I love this! What an easy and festive idea for the holidays. I want some of the pretzel and M&Ms one. Yum.

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  21. I already set up our tree (a fake one) with all the trimmings, but I haven't indulged in any real holiday choco-baking yet--despite my aiding the very tempting Godiva Giveaway promotion (which could win two very lucky people a year of chocolate). This white bark looks stupendous, especially with the almond/pretzel combo. I must try it! What brand of chocolate do folks use? I'll probably give Godiva a shot given my current mouth-watering affiliations, but I'm sure the type of choc could make a big difference.

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  22. love love love it!~

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  23. All three barks look wonderful, Maria. How fun it will be to spend Christmas in your own home.

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  24. These are so pretty. I don't know how any of this could last very long! I hope you weren't planning on saving these for Christmas. ;-)

    I used to travel a lot at Christmas time, so I rarely bought a tree. Other seasons time and money just got in the way of a tree for me. This year I'm so excited to be having one. I'm buying it tomorrow. Yay!

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  25. Best of the Web - Congratulations! Love all the different varieties. It looks so festive!

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  26. gorgeous looking bark! you really showed all of the possibilities!

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  27. I love all the barks! They look so festive and delicious. Great gift and so expensive to buy!
    Less then 3 weeks!

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  28. I can't wait to make this with my kids, it looks so tasty!!

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  29. Beautiful! I love the pepermint flavored one, it reminds me that christmas is near :)

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  30. Sounds like you're having lots of holiday fun. We don't put our tree up for another two weeks, so I'll have to stick with my cookie baking ; ) A great selection of bark -- makes for a very nice platter!

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  31. Looks delish! This would make a great gift.

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  32. These look wonderful Maria! I love chocolate bark but haven't made it in a while :)

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  33. Like you, we are staying home for the holidays for the first time in many years. I am actually looking forward to it!

    Your holiday bark looks too pretty to eat!

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  34. I tried your Halloween chocolate bark. I may have to try this too. So easy and so good!!

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  35. Yep, I'll have a bag of each to go please ;)

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  36. I love, love this stuff. I usually make it with pretzels or nuts. I like your variations. You reminded me I need to make some soon. Everyone loves it.

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  37. My tree is random too! I love it. In fact, I wish I was sitting under my tree eating a plate of your chocolate bark right now! :)

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  38. I am not ready for Christmas yet this year. Well let me rephrase that...I am ready for the treats and meals just not for the shopping and people out shopping too.

    Huge fan of white chocolate!

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  39. Sooo pretty, and all the flavor combos sound delicious!! Love the pretzels!

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  40. What a holiday recipe.. would you know .. that I have not had bark since I was a child... Thanks for sharing the recipe...

    April Marie

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  41. Wow this is delicious! I am a big fan of white chocolate so I think this is adorable and tasty.

    Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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