ELEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS

 

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . .

Mint Chocolate Bark

Peppermint extract and chocolate chips -- both white and semisweet -- give this melt-in-your-mouth candy a familiar after-dinner-mint flavor. Makes about 2 dozen pieces.

Ingredients

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 drops green food coloring

Instructions

1. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper; set it aside. Melt the semisweet chips in a heatproof bowl set atop a pot of simmering water over medium-high heat. Stir continuously until smooth. Pour the chocolate onto the cookie sheet and spread it to about a 1/4-inch thickness with the back of a spoon.
   
2. Using the same method, melt the white chocolate chips with the oil. Stir continuously until smooth. Add the peppermint extract and food coloring; stir well. Pour the mixture over the chocolate layer and spread to about a 1/8-inch thickness with the back of a spoon. Draw the tip of a butter knife through the layers to create swirls. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
   
3. Remove the bark from the pan. Peel off the waxed paper. Set the bark on a cutting board and cut it into 2 dozen bars with a sharp knife. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.