Thursday, December 23, 2010

Last Minute Gifts…Peppermint Bark Cups

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I always prefer to make something for friends and family rather than shop for them. I find it difficult to shop for such a large group of people…how can you possibly know what they all want without asking (I’m big on surprises)? When I make things, I get to do what I love, from the heart, and the gifts usually can’t be bought in stores. Also, I think people appreciate the effort. This year, I made peppermint bark cups. They are super easy and super cute! I was able to watch a 1.5 hour movie on my laptop in the kitchen and make them at the same time. And, I was able to finish making them before the movie was over! This recipe is so easy, I’m not even going to write down a formal recipe because I didn’t really follow a recipe. I just eyeballed everything. Happy holidays!
First, line a mini cupcake pan with mini cupcake liners
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Next, melt some chocolate chips (I used nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet) in 15 second intervals in the microwave. Make sure to slightly shake the chips in between the intervals at first, and then, stir them in between intervals after the first 45 seconds. Once the chocolate is nicely melted, scoop some into the pre-lined cups, filling about 1/5 of the cup, to create a nice base layer. IMG_1815
Find some peppermint flavored white chocolate and repeat as above. I originally wanted to find peppermint kisses, which a co-worker had purchased, but I couldn’t find them in the stores, so I opted for the next best thing – Andes peppermint crunch.
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Top with crushed candy canes. IMG_1829
Allow the chocolate to set for a few hours. The slower you allow it to cool and set, the better. Enjoy!