I love minty things. Mints, candy canes, mint chocolate—any and all of it makes a perfect after-dinner treat. It’s almost as good as brushing your teeth. Well… almost…

As soon as the stores started selling candy canes I bought the ingredients to make this. It’s not hard and all yet impressive enough to give to friends and family.

This is hardly a recipe. It’s just 3 ingredients and nearly impossible to screw up(don’t burn the chocolate) but still makes a thoughtful gift. If you want to vary things up, use white chocolate instead of dark.

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 16 servings):

• 10oz dark chocolate, chopped OR 1 1/4 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 4 candy canes, crushed

Method:

1. Melt the chocolate in a microwave or over a double boiler.
2. Once the chocolate is melted, mix in the peppermint extract until the chocolate is smooth.
3. Pour the chocolate onto a sheet of wax or parchment paper. Spread it out into a thin layer.
4. Sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top of the chocolate and press it in lightly.
5. Refrigerate the bark for 20-30 minutes to let it harden.
6. Break the bark into 15-20 uneven pieces. Keep refrigerated before ready to serve.

‘Tis the season.

Over this weekend I went to Philadelphia and ran a marathon. How did I do? I don’t actually know yet; I’m writing this 2 days before the actual marathon. You can probably check my Twitter. I hope to have an actual recap up by tomorrow.

But whether I hit my goal or not isn’t important(OK, it’s kind of important); what matters more is that I had fun with some awesome people. Madeline and her boyfriend were kind enough to let me crash at their place the night before the marathon so it only seemed fair that I shower them in chocolate. 

Madeline and Boots love gluten-free pretzels and gluten-free chocolate covered pretzels even though neither are gluten-free, which I find hysterical as someone who’s gluten-free and never even bought pretzels before I decided to make these. I don’t know that they like peanut butter, but I’m just going to assume that that’s the case, too. Because—I mean—who doesn’t like peanut butter?

I sneaked a piece before I gave the rest away(because you can’t give something as a present and not taste it first to make sure it’s good, right?) and they were good. I would have added a touch more salt; when I tried the gluten-free pretzels on their own I realized they weren’t as salty as I expected them to be and I think the sweetness is a little overpowering. Otherwise I hope these will be a hit. And if you enjoy things that are sweet and salty I’d highly recommend them, too.

Peanuts And Pretzels Dark Chocolate Bark

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes(allow 20 minutes for cooling)

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate OR 1 3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup crushed pretzels
• 1/4 cup salted peanuts
• 1/4 cup peanut butter chips

Method:

1. In the microwave or over a double boiler, melt the chocolate until it’s smooth and liquid.

2. Spread the chocolate out on a piece of parchment paper in a 1/2-inch thick layer.
3. Evenly distribute the peanuts, pretzels, and peanut butter chips over the chocolate. Press the ingredients lightly into the chocolate to make sure that they stick.
4. Refrigerate the chocolate for 20 minutes until it has hardened.
5. Break the bark into individual-sized pieces. Store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

I hope to have a full marathon/weekend recap up tomorrow morning, but if it’s a little late it’s because I’m going from Philadelphia to Boston to Providence and then back to Massachusetts to cook and photograph and eat Thanksgiving dinner. Basically it’s going to be a bust week and I can’t wait for all of it.

Recently, I’ve picked up an addiction for chocolate covered nuts that somebody gave me as a gift. It combines two of my favorite things: Chocolate and nuts(so many jokes, so little time). Even though I’m not through with the bag, I’ve been thinking about how to make my own, because “fancy” nuts(again, so little time) are some of the most overpriced foods at the grocery store. Instead, I made my own in the form of bark. Bark is festive, cheap, and the perfect personalized gift. This tastes like it should cost twice as much as it took to make, and it was so simple, too! Put this under the tree for the nut lover in your life.

Nut Lover’s Dark Chocolate Bark

Ingredients(Makes 15-20 servings)

• 1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules(optional)
• 3oz(3/4 cup) peanuts
• 3oz(3/4 cup) almonds
• 3oz(3/4 cup) cashews
• Sea salt

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Lay out all the nuts on a baking tray and roast them in the oven for about 15 minutes, jostling the pan every 5 minutes or so to make sure they don’t burn.

While the nuts are roasting, melt down the chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave. When the chocolate is smooth and melted, add in the cocoa powder and instant coffee and stir(note: These don’t change the texture of the chocolate; they just add a rich, dark flavor that make this taste much better than regular chocolate chips would).

Line a tray with parchment paper and spread the chocolate into a smooth layer about 1/4-inch thick.

Add the nuts onto the chocolate and press down firmly with your palms to push them in. It’s OK that the chocolate will spread a little more. Lastly, sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over the bark. Stick this in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to harden. Break into individual pieces.

This was delicious. It would have made the perfect gift if I could part with it; instead, I ate 3 pieces the afternoon I made it and just said Merry Christmas to me. This tastes so much more decadent and expensive than it has a right to. Sometimes the simplest things are the best.

What would your favorite bark have in it?