Peppermint Bark!

Who doesn't love peppermint bark?  This time of year, it's a delicious and mouth-refreshing finish to a flurry of rich dishes.  Festive and easy to make, it's also a great gift for those 'what do I give them?' people on your list.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces premium semisweet chocolate
• 1 pound premium white chocolate
• 1½ teaspoons peppermint extract
• 3 candy canes, crushed roughly

Directions

Coarsely chop the chocolate, keeping semisweet and white separate.  Smooth a sheet of aluminum foil, shiny-side up, into a 9" by 13" baking dish with enough extra on the ends to lift the bark out once cooled.

Heat an inch of water in a double boiler or saucepan to just below boiling.  Reduce heat to just maintain the water at a steam.  Put about ¾ of the semisweet chocolate in the top of the double boiler or a heatproof bowl, set over the steaming water and stir until the chocolate is about half melted.  Stir in the remaining semisweet chocolate, a few pieces at a time, until fully melted.  Do not rush the process, as the chocolate may break.

Remove the boiler or bowl from the pan, dry any condensation on the bottom and stir in half the peppermint extract.  Immediately pour the chocolate into the prepared dish and spread evenly.  Set aside and repeat the melting process with the white chocolate, adding the remaining peppermint extract at the end.

Pour the white chocolate over the now semi-solid dark chocolate layer and spread evenly.  Immediately distribute the crushed candy canes over the surface, pressing them into the white chocolate.  Allow to solidify at room temperature for an hour or more.  Lift the bark from the pan by the foil ends, break into pieces and store for up to two weeks in an airtight container.