Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark with Marshmallow Swirl. Every December I make at least one treat that feels like pure magic! Three ingredients, easy to make, beautiful and festive to look at: magical. It tastes like a peppermint patty. It’s rich, silky dark chocolate swirled with gooey marshmallow fluff swirl & and topped with crushed candy canes. Festive, nostalgic, pretty in a cookie box and fun to make with kids.
This recipe comes together in minutes. You melt, drizzle, swirl, sprinkle, freeze, and break. That’s it. It looks like something you’d buy wrapped in cellophane from a cozy little candy shop, but you made it at home! And I just LOVE the textures here with the chewy marshmallow, silky chocolate & crunchy candy canes.
Ingredients
- Dark chocolate: Bark recipes are best made with melting chocolate wafers or bars (not chips). I love dark Ghirardelli chocolate bars for melting and any of your favorite chocolate to melt will work. You can also use milk chocolate and I think white chocolate would be gorgeous.
- Marshmallow fluff: I don’t love the “artificial flavor” in Marshmallow Fluff, but as far as ingredients go it actually is very simple! You CAN make your own if you want. I would use this recipe.
- Candy canes: Any candy canes work. Feel free to sub with already crshed candy canes if you can find them.
FAQ – Tempering Chocolate & More
Can I use white or milk chocolate?
Yes, any chocolate works. I love all of the shades of white with pop of red when using white chocolate. But I prefer the taste of dark chocolate + chewy marshmallow + crunchy candy canes.
Can I temper the chocolate? Do I have to?
This bark is written to be chilled in the fridge. It can sit out at room temp for a few hours, but it will soften. You can temper the chocolate if you want a gorgeous snappy shiny chocolate that won’t soften at room temp at all. I always use Handle the Heat’s How To Temper Chocolate for tempering
Can I use chocolate chips? What kind of chocolate do I use for bark?
It is important to use quality chocolate in recipes like this. Chocolate chips and morsels contain fillers and stabilizers that prevent it from melting and setting well. Do not use candy melts – you will really notice a difference in taste. I love Ghirardelli or Baker’s for any chocolate melting & dipping. I almost always use Ghirardelli.
From the Kitchen
I prefer it to be a little thicker. Use an 8-inch baking dish or quarter baking sheet for thicker bark & the half sheet for thinner.
Connect with Me
When you make this Dark Chocolate Peppermint bark please let me know your thoughts in the comments. I love that it is just 3 ingredients & looks so festive as well! Please also share your photos or DM me on Instagram @homecooksnotes
Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark with Marshmallow Swirl
Ingredients
- 10 oz dark chocolate*
- 1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
- 2-3 candy canes crushed
Instructions
- Crush Candy Canes: Line a small baking sheet (1/4 sheet or 8 or 9inch baking pan) with parchment paper. Add candy canes to a ziploc bag and smack with rolling pin until crushed into various sizes.
- Melt the chocolate: In a microwave-safe bowl, add the dark chocolate. Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until fully melted. This ensures it doesn’t burn. Alternatively, use the double boiler method for melting. Melt fluff in another small bowl in 10 second increments until soft & runnier, only about 30 seconds total. Stir it up so it is creamy like frosting.
- Assemble bark: Pour the melted chocolate over the parchment and spread in an even layer. Dollop or drizzle melted fluff all over the chocolate and use a toothpick or skewer to swirl it into the chocolate. Sprinkled crushed candy canes all over the top. Chill in fridge 10 minutes until set.
- Serve: Cut with a very sharp knife or break up into varying pieces.
- Store: Dark Chocolate Peppermint bark can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. If it has sat in fridge for a long period of time, take it out 15-20 minutes before serving so it can soften a touch and be best for eating.
