You can’t let the holiday season pass without some good old fashioned peppermint bark! Why not go really wild and crazy this year and toss some peanut butter into the mix? Give Buckeye Peppermint Bark a whirl, I promise you’ll love it.
If peanut butter goes with chocolate and chocolate goes with peppermint, then 1+1 must equal 2 correct?
Go with me here for a moment.
I know what you are first thinking. Peanut butter and peppermint? It’s sort of an odd combination but it works, it actually really works.
Somehow by the end of every December I manage to amass a ton of candy canes. I don’t know how I do it as I never go and actually buy them myself. It’s not that I dislike them per say, it’s just that I don’t really see the point as an adult.
I get the allure as a kid, they are pretty and minty and you have the tiny little ones all the way up to the gigantic ones that you wonder what to do with. No one would really eat those, right? They make the perfect decoration on your tree but in the end are kind of awkward to eat.
Still, people feel the need to attach it to a card or a gift for a little extra holiday flair.
So what to do with those leftover candy canes? My friends at Peanut Butter and Co. were thinking this exact same thing and decided to go for a little candy cane hack. Can we take those candy canes and hack them into something new?
Challenge accepted PB&Co.!
The truth is, I wanted to see if this combination would work.
My mind immediately went to making either a truffle or a bark because holiday time equals having those candies around all the time and I’m okay with that. What’s better than peppermint bark on a snowy day after all?
With peppermint on top the middle was getting filled with peanut butter buckeye mix using some White Chocolate Wonderful and Crunch Time for a little extra nutty bite. You really can’t go wrong when those two are involved. You just can’t.
This bark is every peanut butter lovers dream. It’s messy for sure as the peanut butter oozes out between the chocolate layers but I keep it all contained by storing mine in the refrigerator. It makes a perfect edible holiday gift as you can make a ton in just about an hour.
What are you waiting for? Get to it! Oh you need peanut butter? Well okay, you can win 2 jars by entertaining below and getting 25% Peanut Butter & Co.’s online store for the month of December by using the code YUMSQUADLOVE.
Ingredients
- 1 cup white chocolate peanut butter, such as White Chocolate Wonderful
- 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter, such as Crunch Time
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 3 cups semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, melted
- 2-3 candy canes, crushed
Instructions
- Place the peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium until mixed together and creamy. About 1-2 minutes. Set aside.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or wax paper and pour out half the melted chocolate into the center of the pan. Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate into a rectangle about 10 inches in length and 6-7 inches wide.
- Place the chocolate in your freezer to set for 5-6 minutes.
- Remove and pour the peanut butter on top, smoothing to the edges in an even layer.
- Top with the remaining melted chocolate, smoothing to the sides (it's fine if it drips down covering the peanut butter) and top with the crushed candy canes.
- Depending on how much peppermint flavor you want use 2-3 crushed candy canes.
- Place the bark back in your freezer to fully set for about 15 minutes.
- Remove and cut into your desired sizes.
- Recommended storage for the bark is in your refrigerator or freezer as it gets a bit soft a room temperature.
- If storing in freezer, let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving, 5 minutes if in fridge.
How do you win some of this great peanut butter?
Easy! One lucky person will win one (1) jar of White Chocolate Wonderful and one (1) jar of Crunch Time peanut butter.
Simply follow the instructions on the rafflecopter widget below to enter. Giveaway is open from December 11th to December 18th 2014 to U.S. Residents only age 18+. Winners will be randomly selected and notified via email. The winner has 48 hours to respond, otherwise their prize will be forfeited and a new winner will be selected.
Disclaimer: I was provided with jars of Peanut Butter & Co. peanut butter and candy canes for recipe development purposes. All opinions stated are my own.
I like to dip treats (especially shortbread) in chocolate, then roll them in candy canes 🙂
mix it with hot chocolate!
I mix my broken candy cane pieces right in with the chocolate, especially for barks and popcorns.
#candycanehack I top my Christmas fudge with crushed candy canes
We can’t have PB over here, but I’ll take the chocolate and peppermint! Always a win together.
you did it. Brava! Now I’m like “Ok…pb and peppermint. That might work.” 😛
I like to top my Fudge with it
I can’t believe that after all these years I am yet to make bark. Thanks for the inspiration!
I would love to add candy canes to my whoopie pies!
I love that you added peanut butter to peppermint bark, what a great idea!
Comment This I gotta try! So festive!
I love taking pretzels and dipping in a white bark and roll in peppermints.
I never would have thought to combine peppermint with peanut butter and chocolate – but you’ve made it work!
I would put them on top of my fudge.
Woah! LOVE this! What a fun twist on a classic!
Sprinkle over Iced Sugar Cookies
I would #candycanehack my cupcakes.
Yeah, I really do want to try this combo. I just can’t picture it, but I’m thinking I would wind up loving it! I think I’d crush ’em and roll white chocolate dipped pretzels in them! Or maybe peanut butter dipped pretzels… 😉
I love making bark at the holidays. This is an unusual combination and I’m anxious to try it!
I would make a dark chocolate ice cream to sprinkle with candy cane bits!
Buckeyes + peppermint = swoon!
White.chocolate and.candy cane blondie please!
#candycanehack smash flavored candy canes til its a fine powder then use as flavored sprinkling on frosted cookies!
I’d crush the candy canes & use them as topping for a chocolate poke cake.
I’d make marshmallow pops! Cover the marshmallow in chocolate & then roll in the crushed candy canes.
I had my first bark of the season yesterday. I love love that stuff.
This over the top as far as bark. It makes me want to bark. Oh gosh that was soooo lame. But I will have to admit I am smiling.
Chocolate cupcakes with candy cane buttercream frosting.
I would make some kind of energy balls.
I’d infused candy canes in my flan!
I’d use them in hot chocolate!
I’d do something yummy with pretzels
My #candycanehack is simple – I use them to stir tea and hot chocolate.
Sing out loud – maybe in public(o:
Use them on my sugar cookies.
Oh my does that bark look yummy!
Maybe candy cane and the peanut butter would be yummy in cocoa!
i would make peanut butter balls
I would melt them into an edible serving tray.
I’d break them apart and make peppermint bark #candycanehack