Layered Peppermint Bark

I'm Back! Vegas was fun, I had great eye candy at all the wonderful pastry shops/ dessert places there. I finally made it to Jean Philippe, Payard, and had my rounds at the Wynn buffet dessert station again. It was dessert heaven! I will update later when I have a chance to edit my pics. Get ready for the most beautiful dessert I have ever had... a bright orange carrot cake from Jean Philippe with the most decadent chocolate ever. I won't even try to recreate those things I had during the trip... it simply will be reserved for my future Vegas adventures. : D

Maybe I've just been unaware of the holiday traditions in the past, or well.. is it just me or have Peppermint Bark emerged just this year as the "hot" item... well maybe not "hot" but yea, I've seen it everywhere! Williams-Sonoma, TJ's, Cost Plus... Allrecipes.... ok maybe it's been around, and I never gave it a chance because it was minty. So, I've tried to make it myself. It's pretty easy, kind of messy, and ridiculously sweet.. it is.. chocolate + chocolate + sugary mints... what can you expect? I think I went a little overboard on the mints. The presentation wasn't the best, but it's edible nonetheless. I'm making these for a holiday party tomorrow, now I need to find ways to make it more attractive on the table.... hmmm

Layered Peppermint Bark

6 oz white chocolate chips + 1 tsp oil
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips + 1 tsp oil
100 grams of peppermint candies ( candy canes (which I can't find?) or those circular red/white ones you get at restaurants that you probably throw out : P.. I know I do haha)

1. Crush the peppermint candies by whacking it with a pan on a towel. Then sift out the big pieces, save the peppermint dust in a separate bowl.
2. Make a double boiler by heating small amounts of water in a small saucepan. Place a large heat safe bowl on top, make sure there is a seal and that water will not leak out of the pan in the form of steam. Place in semi sweet chocolate and oil, and melt slowly under very low heat. Add in 2 tsp of peppermint dust you saved after sifting it. (you can omit this if you want... I think I should have because adding the dust just made it sweeter : ( )
2. Prepare a 11X7 pan by lining it with foil. Pour in the melted chocolate and spread so it is even. Put into freezer.
3. Melt the white chocolate with oil in a heat safe bowl the same way you did with the chocolate above. Add in all the peppermint dust and around 2 tbsp of the larger peppermint pieces.
4. Take out chilled chocolate layer, and work quickly to spread the white chocolate over the chilled chocolate layer. ( If you work slowly, the white chocolate will melt the semi-sweet, and you'll get a marble effect... which I guess looks cool too) Sprinkle the remaining larger peppermint chucks and gently press into place. Put in freezer until set. Break apart to serve. ( Don't try cutting it unless you have a warm knife or semi-set chocolate... chilled/frozen bark is extremely difficult to chop up.. )

-These would be the big chunks left after sifting out the dust

Currently chilling in the fridge: Chocolate roll out sugar cookies. I will stamp out gingerbread boys and then decorate them with royal or sugar icing? I'm placing those on frosted red velvet cupcakes : ) I usually make gingerbread cookies this time of the year, but I don't think they'd go well with red velvet.