Peppermint Bars

May 17, 2017

PEPPERMINT BARS

Remember drinking those peppermint mochas back in December whether it be a frappuccino or a hot goodness? These bars bring it right back with the perfect mix of creamy peppermint and bitter chocolate with the right crunch of candy canes to top it off.

Here’s the recipe:

INGREDIENTS

Yield: 36 squares

For the crust:

  • 10 graham cracker sheets (34.79g sugar)

  • 6 tablespoons butter, melted

For the peppermint cream:

  • 1/2 cup coconut oil

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (3.47g sugar)

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (.53g sugar)

  • 3 teaspoons peppermint extract

  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (15.65g sugar)

For the chocolate coating:

  • 4 ounces dark chocolate (41.63g sugar)

  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil

  • Optional – bits of candy cane

PREPARATION

  1. Place graham crackers in a gallon-sized re-sealable plastic bag. Crush crackers with rolling pin until fine in texture.

  2. In a bowl, combine crushed graham cracker with melted butter and mix well.

  3. Line a 9×9 inch pan with parchment paper.

  4. Fill pan with graham cracker crumbs and pat down to create one even, compressed crust. Place in freezer.

  5. In a large bowl, combine ingredients for peppermint cream with hand mixer until a thick, uniform cream is formed.

  6. Remove pan from freezer and layer the peppermint cream on crust in one even layer. Freeze for at least 1 hour.

  7. In a small bowl, combine chocolate and coconut oil (the exact amount of coconut oil needed may vary based on the chocolate used). Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between each, until chocolate is fully melted.

  8. Remove pan from freezer and cut the sheet of peppermint cream and graham cracker into squares

  9. Place squares on a metal cooling rack and top with melted chocolate. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes (optional).

  10. Chill squares in fridge or freezer until ready to eat.

From <https://www.buzzfeed.com/adambianchi/the-best-part-about-these-chocolate-peppermint-squares-is-th?utm_term=.xakRVw6kB#.deLLDpQ41>

Reina: I was really missing the Christmas season when I made these. I was remembering candy canes in hot chocolate with marshmallows and a mountain of whipped cream when I came upon this recipe.

I modified it slightly by putting in crushed candy canes, but it still came out great. There’s no baking involved, but there was a lot of waiting around for the pan to finish freezing. I was impatient and only put it in for half of the time, so the chocolate and the peppermint cream did end up mixing for one of the batches. However, it was a very simple recipe and the result was very good.

I think that the chocolate perfectly balanced the spicy peppermint cream and the crumbly crust gave it the right texture that worked with the richness of the rest of the bar.

I would give this a 9.5/10 because I struggled with melting the chocolates and I found that it was easier to just pour the chocolate onto the uncut bars instead of cutting them first and pouring the chocolate over it.
Shaina: Today I got to be transported back to the holiday season with Reina’s delicious peppermint bars. As soon as I saw them, I was excited, as peppermint bars are not a new concept and are generally really tasty. These bars had just the right amount of minty peppermint cream and bittersweet dark chocolate and were nicely balanced with the crumbly crust. I ate two, and already felt thoroughly indulged as these are rich bars. The flavor of peppermint is very evident and distinct, so I would not recommend these for people who do not like mint. While the minty flavor was unmistakeable, it could be slightly reduced if you preferred by simply using less peppermint extract. The graham cracker crust really paired nicely with the decadence of these peppermint bars, as they sort of stabilized the entire treat. The crust could be left out if you would prefer to just make peppermint bark, which is peppermint chocolate that’s usually served at Christmas time. These were unique and different bars than any I had tried before and would be great at a holiday party or just for fun. I would rate the bars as a 9/10 because they were rich, well balanced, and tasted amazing with the combination of crust, chocolate, and peppermint.

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