Holiday Food Gifts: Christmas Bark Three Ways

This no-bake sweet treat is fun and easy to make. Get the kids involved and let them smash the candy canes or the nuts. Here I propose a bark divided in three sections. Be as creative as you wish with the toppings: nuts, dried fruit, candy, marshmallows...the possibilities are endless.

Christmas Bark

Christmas Bark Three Ways

1 lb (454 g) white chocolate

1 lb (454 g) dark chocolate (semi-sweet)

1 cup pistachio

1 cup dried cranberry

1 cup broken peppermints or candy cane

1 cup hershey kisses candy cane flavor.  

Line a 12- x 9- inch (30 x 23 cm) baking sheet with wax paper and set aside.

In a bowl over saucepan of hot (not boiling) water, melt the dark chocolate, stirring occasionally until smooth. 

With an offset spatula, spread the melted dark chocolate in an even layer on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Place the pan in the refrigerator to harden about 30- 45 minutes. In the meantime prep the toppings: break you candy canes or peppermints by placing them in a sealable plastic bag and hitting them with a rolling pin or a  meat tenderizer on the flat side.  Shell and chop the pistachios.  Unwrap the hershey kisses. 

Melt the white chocolate over a double boiler until smooth. Spread on top of the dark chocolate layer. Working quickly before the white chocolate sets, sprinkle the crushed candy canes on 1/3 of the pan, the pistachio and cranberry on the next 1/3 of the pan and finally arrange the hershey kisses on the last part. Gently press all the toppings into the chocolate. 

Refrigerate until complete hard and set, at least 2 hours.

Break into pieces using your hands. Place pieces of bark in a food safe tissue paper-lined box and wrap with christmas themed paper.