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Wintermint Bark

Source of Recipe

"The Complete Autumn and Winter Cookbook" by America's Test Kitchen


Recipe Introduction

"The red, green, and white colors and festive flavors of this simple confection make it a perfect holiday gift. Anything but fussy to make, it requires a mere three ingredients and a straightforward method. Making the bark was as simple as melting white bar chocolate; stirring in green pistachios and crunchy, cooling bits of crushed peppermint candies; and then allowing the bark to firm up in the refrigerator. Line a baking sheet with an aluminum foil sling before spreading the white chocolate mixture over the bottom ensured that we had an easy way to lift the cooled bark out of the pan without risking breaking it into pieces. Unsalted pumpkin seeds can be substituted for the pistachios."

List of Ingredients

◦ 1 cup unsalted pistachios
◦ 1 pound white chocolate, chopped
◦ 12 round red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies, crushed in food processor


Recipe

Make foil sling for 8-inch square baking pan by folding two long sheets of aluminum foil so each is eight inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan.

Microwave chocolate in bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally with rubber spatula, until melted and smooth, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir pistachios into chocolate, scrape mixture into prepared pan, and smooth top. Sprinkle peppermint candies on top and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Using foil overhang, remove bark from pan and transfer to cutting board. Peel away and discard foil. Cut bark into rough chunks with chef's knife and serve. (Pieces can be layered between waxed paper in airtight container and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.)

Makes about 1 pound