Peppermint Bark is a yummy Christmas tradition at our house during the holidays. Crunchy, white chocolate is layered with creamy dark peppermint chocolate and crushed candy canes! We make this delicious treat for all the holiday parties and Christmas stockings.

I kid you not, I’ve made over a hundred pounds of this peppermint bark through the years. Probably more. Everyone seems to love receiving it and I love making and giving it.

My funniest memory regarding Peppermint Bark has to be with my first busy little four year old years ago. He was always aggressively pounding on something or other. I thought crushing candy canes would be the perfect job to occupy him. (Positively!)

So I sent him out to the driveway to bang on candy canes with a veggie can. He was excited. I mean, really excited. The candy was in a ziploc bag, in an old camping pan lined with a dish towel. The banging went on and on and then it got really quiet.

I went out to check on him. He’d gotten a little carried away with well doing. Half the driveway was covered in crushed peppermints. We laughed and laughed. (And thankfully I had more peppermints inside, which is probably WHY I could laugh, lol.) Then for a couple weeks we had the sparkliest driveway in the neighborhood, just in time for Christmas.

Peppermint Bark shouts “Christmas” loud and clear from snowy rooftops. This bark is extra yummy because it has whipping cream mixed in with the bittersweet chocolate. This makes the top chocolate layer creamy instead of hard. It’s also highly addictive. (I think it’s every bit as good as Williams Sonoma peppermint bark. Maybe better.)

I pack it in 1/4 lb. candy boxes for gift giving. White box. Red and white striped grosgrain ribbon. It seems that Santa himself prefers Peppermint Bark to cookies, based on an experiment we conducted one Christmas Eve. (!)

How To Make Peppermint Bark:

Crush the peppermints/candy canes and set aside. (To crush peppermints or candy canes: leave in plastic wrappers, place in a heavy duty ziploc bag and bang with the sharp edge of a veggie can. I put the ziploc bag in an old t0wel-lined camping pan. Or use a food processor. (Remove wrappers first if using the food processor!)

 Melt the vanilla candy wafers.

 Spread onto parchment paper. Cool.

Dollop the barely warm melted chocolate, peppermint extract and whipping cream mixture onto the white chocolate.

Spread chocolate mixture evenly on top of first layer, then sprinkle with crushed peppermints or candy canes.

Cool in refrigerator for 15 minutes. Then let sit out for 5 or 10 minutes. (If you cut it when it’s too cold, the hard white layer underneath doesn’t cut cleanly.)

Chop into triangles with a sharp butcher knife and quick, hard pressure.

Package into 1/4 lb. candy boxes for gift giving. Peppermint Bark: It’s how we roll for the holidays.

Keep this treat refrigerated because of the whipping cream in the dark chocolate layer.

Tips for making Peppermint Bark:

• Use a veggie can to crush peppermints or candy canes. Leave the candy in the plastic wrappers and use a veggie can to bang on them. Line an old camping pan with an old towel for the task. Do this in the basement, garage or outside because little pieces of the candy can fly and make a mess.
• I use mini candy canes. I used to use the starlite peppermint candies, but the mini candy canes work best for me.
• Chop into triangles with a sharp butcher knife and quick, hard pressure.
• Keep peppermint bark refrigerated.
• Package into 1/4 lb. candy boxes for gift giving

Other peppermint treats you my enjoy: Peppermint Stick Ice Cream, Pink Peppermint Eggnog Punch, Peppermint Fudge and Peppermint White Christmas cocktail.

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Peppermint Bark

Peppermint Bark is delightful any time of year, but especially at Christmas. Use good quality chocolate! This is highly addictive and makes a great gift packaged in 1/4 lb. candy boxes.

Course Candy

Prep Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 1 1/2 pounds candy

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

• 16 ounces white vanilla candy wafer disks buy at A.C. Moore or Michael's
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
• 4 tablespoons whipping cream
• crushed starlite peppermint candies or candy canes

Instructions

• Melt vanilla candy wafer disks according to package directions. (I use the microwave.)
• Spread onto a 24" X 18" foil or parchment square on top of an inverted baking pan.
• Let harden.
• Slowly melt chopped chocolate over very low heat.
• Remove from heat when just melted.
• Stir in peppermint extract and whipping cream.
• Spread melted chocolate mixture evenly on top of white candy layer.
• Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies.
• Chill until just hardened, about 15 minutes.
• Wait 10-15 minutes, then cut into triangles.
• Refrigerate!

Notes

How to crush the peppermints: leave in plastic wrappers, place in a heavy duty ziploc bag and bang with the sharp edge of a veggie can. Or use a food processor. (Please take off wrappers first if using the food processor!)

Refrigerate peppermint bark!

You may also like: Peppermint Stick Ice Cream

The post Peppermint Bark Recipe appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Sweet, creamy and oh so chocolate. That’s all you need to know about this Godiva Chocolate Martini recipe. It uses Godiva chocolate liqueur, creme de cacao and Stoli vanilla vodka. I’ll raise my glass to that! Cheers to a delicious chocolate martini for the holidays!!! (Clink clink.)

It all started last month. Or several decades ago.  Maybe earlier. But last month I commissioned my talented niece Kate to paint a custom sign for our house. I wanted the Irish words céad míle fáilte. (Also attributed as Gaelic, but let’s say Irish since I’m nearly a quarter Irish. And that should count for something.)

I had Kate paint that phrase because those words hang above the welcoming front porch of the Rabbit Hill Inn in Lower Waterford, Vermont. Rabbit Hill Inn is dear to our hearts and sits on a hill overlooking the picturesque valley below, including a beautiful, New England white-steepled church.

As a young boy my husband Jon lived in Lower Waterford, just down the street from Rabbit Hill. And Rabbit Hill is the magical New England get-away where we’ve celebrated several milestone anniversaries. So we have a love for the inn and the area on many counts.

When we moved to our new home across town this past summer, I knew I wanted the phrase ‘céad míle fáilte’ hanging over the entrance to the vaulted ceiling living room. ‘Céad míle fáilte’ means ‘a hundred thousand welcomes’. And you can’t get much more welcome than that!

I was perusing Rabbit Hill’s site to spell the phrase correctly, when I stumbled on the Godiva Chocolate Martini recipe served in Rabbit Hill’s Snooty Fox Pub. Naturally I wanted to share it with you here. It’s the perfect little sweet something for December cocktail parties.

Creamy and sweet, this Godiva Chocolate Martini recipe is ideal for the holidays. Use Stoli vanilla vodka, Godiva chocolate liqueur and creme de cacoa. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

And since I can’t stomach the thought of ingesting FD & C red #4 (learn more about the horrific traditional processing of maraschino cherries here) , I treated myself to a very pleasant field trip to Whole Foods this past week to buy stem-on maraschino cherries. Merry Maraschino Cherries are free from artificial colors, flavors and dyes.

I also found a mini rosemary Christmas tree! So not only am I feeling festive, but my kitchen smells divine! Woot woot! The wallet groans, but I always feel better after a Whole Foods field trip. Maybe don’t mention that to my husband. Though I’m guessing it’s cheaper than therapy…

Tips for making the perfect Godiva Chocolate Martini:

• Chill the martini glasses.
• Have plenty of fresh ice on hand.
• Use Stoli Vanilla vodka, Godiva chocolate liqueur and creme de cacoa.

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Godiva Chocolate Martini Recipe

Cuisine Cocktail Drink

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 drink

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Stoli vanilla vodka
• 1.5 ounce creme de cacao
• 1 ounce Godiva chocolate liqueur
• Optional garnish: maraschino cherry and shaved chocolate

Instructions

• Chill martini glass on ice. Set aside.
• Fill cocktail shaker half full of ice.
• Add Stoli vanilla vodka, creme de cacao and Godiva chocolate liqueur.
• Shake well in shaker and strain into chilled martini glass.
• Garnish with maraschino cherry and shaved chocolate.

You may also like: Famous Brick Street Chocolate Cake

The post Godiva Chocolate Martini appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Boston Cream Eclair Cake: this showstopper homemade eclair cake is filled with custard cream and piped with a decadent chocolate ganache frosting! Make this dessert in three easy steps.Nothing’s more important than dessert. And CHOCOLATE! I’m all about the chocolate.

So here’s a decadent recipe: Boston Cream Eclair Cake. It looks grand, but trust me, you can easily make this too. This simple recipe was given to me by dear Italian friends in Rhode Island many years ago. It’s a crowd pleaser, gorgeous and delicious.There are three simple parts to the Boston Cream Éclair Cake: the éclair pastry crust, the cream filling and the rich chocolate frosting. You can make this dessert all at once or in stages.

The crust is just four simple ingredients: butter, flour, eggs and water. (This recipe had me at the butter.)

Your pastry dough is ready when it looks like this, smooth without lumps.

Dollop the dough by large spoonfuls onto a greased round pizza pan, into a ring.

After baking, crust should be a deep golden brown.  (Resist the temptation remove from the oven too early.)

Cool on a wire rack, then split horizontally with an electric or serrated bread knife.

I often make the éclair pastry crust ahead, then freeze.

A day or two before serving, make the custard filling and chocolate frosting. On serving day put it all together and pipe the chocolate frosting on the Boston Cream Éclair Cake in about 15 minutes. It’s such an amazing dessert. It gives me great joy to deliver “pastry happiness” to friends and family.

Here’s a big tip, and once in a while I forget to do it myself. After filling the cake and before piping the chocolate, carefully cut the Boston Cream Éclair Cake into serving slices with an electric knife (or serrated bread knife.) THEN pipe the chocolate on top. It’s so much easier to keep the cake pieces intact for easy and beautiful serving.

Let me know if you make the Boston Cream Eclair Cake, I’d love to hear how you like it!

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Boston Cream Eclair Cake

It doesn't get any better than this. Serve this eclair pastry and you instantly rise to superhero status. Never met anyone who didn't adore the Boston Cream Éclair Cake!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

• Crust:
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup flour
• 4 large eggs
• Cream Filling:
• 2 3.125 ounce packages instant vanilla pudding
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 6 ounces Cool Whip 3/4 of an 8 ounce Cool Whip
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Topping:
• 1 and 1/2 squares unsweetened chocolate 1.5 ounces
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

• Crust:
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Boil together the water and butter
• Stir in 1 cup flour until throughly combined and cook until ball forms and it pulls away from the sides.
• Remove from the heat.
• Add in eggs one at a time, mixing throughly by hand after each. (I use a wooden spoon or my King Arthur bread dough whisk.)
• Drop by spoonfuls into a ring on a lightly grease cookie sheet or round pizza pan.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until the middle is dry. Sometimes it takes as long as 55 minutes, so watch very carefully towards the end.
• Check with a cake tester to make sure it's dry inside.
• Cool completely on a wire rack.
• Cut in half horizontally with a serrated or electric knife.
• Cover the bottom half with filling, put the top half back on.
• Filling:
• Using an electric mixer or whisk, mix the instant vanilla pudding with milk for two minutes.
• Gently fold in the Cool Whip and vanilla with a rubber spatula.
• Rich Chocolate Frosting:
• Melt chocolate in a saucepan over low heat.
• Add in butter 'til it melts.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in milk 'til combined.
• Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla.
• Pack frosting in a pastry bag and pipe with a decorating tip (or use a ziploc bag with snipped corner), going around the entire cake.
• Refrigerate for a short time 'til chocolate sets, cover in plastic wrap, then return to refrigerator.
• Refrigerate leftovers. (If you have any!)

Notes

Make all at once, or in stages and construct it the morning you serve.
Use a pastry bag and decorating tip to pipe your chocolate icing, or snip a hole in the corner of a ziploc bag.
There will be lots of extra filling. Save it for another use or get out your spoon for a treat.

You may also like: Famous Brick Street Chocolate Cake

The post Boston Cream Eclair Cake appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Entrepreneur of Sorts 10/14 by Allie Taylor

She was an Entrepreneur of Sorts, and told me she planned to attend business school one day.

“So what would you do with a business degree?” I asked.

“Yeah, so that’s the challenge. So I was thinkin’ what a nightmare it would be to get stuck at your desk in an office building with a run in your hose. And how it would like, ruin your entire day.

Nail polish on runs is like so overrated, so outdated. So I was thinking. Wouldn’t it be so awesome……. if office buildings, had like, their own (dramatic pause) vending machines!”

“Don’t they already?” (I was confused.)

“Not for pantyhose they don’t. So you joy ride the elevator to the lobby, buy a new pair on like, coffee break. You got choices: regular, control top, thigh high, knee high, nude to tan…the whole gamut. So like, that’s what I’d do with a business degree. Install pantyhose vending machines in local office buildings. Keep ‘em stocked. Collect the money. Do the marketing, that sort of thing.”

I had to hand it to her. She was creative, intense and thinking outside the box. And even without the degree, she was already an entrepreneur in her own right. She was known around town as “The Cookie Lady”. Her jumbo chocolate chip cookies were the size of buttermilk pancakes. She sold them individually or by the dozen for corporate events. She also donated them to the school bake sale. But what everyone really wanted, probably even the folks at Tollhouse, was her secret recipe. And she guarded it like the Holy Grail.

She was in a philanthropic frame of mind today, having dropped by to share some extra cookies. And now she was captive at my kitchen counter. Surely this would be my lucky day.

I poured glasses of fresh squeezed lemonade and added mint sprigs from the garden. A batch of my own homemade gingersnaps cooled on the rack. She loved my gingersnaps.

“So I’ve always wondered about your cookie recipe,” I began tentatively. “So, let me guess. I bet you put…… butter in them.”

“I don’t know.” (pause) “Maybe I do.” (pause) “Maybe I don’t.”

She stared at me hard sidewise, eyebrows raised.

This wasn’t going quite as I’d hoped, but I persevered.

“So how ‘bout vanilla. Surely you use pure vanilla extract?”

“It’s not like that,” she said. “It’s not just what you put in. It’s what you don’t.”

And the conversation continued in like manner all afternoon. Sadly, I never did “extract” the recipe from her that day. And I probably never will. But she gifted me with something far more valuable, a life lesson.

It’s not just what you say, it’s what you don’t.

It’s not just what you eat, it’s what you don’t.

It’s not just how you spend your money, it’s how you don’t.

It’s not just what you read, it’s what you don’t.

It’s not just how you live, it’s how you don’t.

And in chocolate chip cookie lingo… “It’s not just what you put in, it’s what you don’t.”

In her very own words. It was my lucky day after all, thanks to her.

And since I can’t have hers, here’s the recipe I use: King Arthur Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

(So yummy, and many thanks to King Arthur and his VT knights and maidens of the Round Table.)

King Arthur Chocolate Chip Cookies

Related post: Nuts About Her

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Today would be the perfect day to make this 29 Minute Decadent Chocolate Sheet Cake. I thought about naming it the Speedy Gonzales Chocolate Sheetcake. It’s hard to believe you can make, bake and frost a moist Decadent Chocolate Sheet Cake in just twenty-nine minutes. But this speedy recipe takes the cake, having you do just that in no time flat. (OK, twenty-nine minutes.) But you musn’t dilly dally.

My girlfriend regularly brings this fudgy cake to picnics and potlucks. I’ve learned from experience that you must move subtly and quickly towards the dessert table, or you’re out of luck. When she told me she baked and frosted the cake in under thirty minutes, my first thought?  “Someone’s nose is growing longer.” (True confession.) Then I finally baked the cake myself, and no Pinocchio. Now I’m a believer too.

There are so many reasons that make this chocolate cake such a winner. Let’s start with the chocolate. You just can’t go wrong with chocolate, any way you slice it. The cake travels like a champ in its jelly roll pan, making it perfect for tailgating, picnics and potlucks. It’s rich, delicious and bakes in the oven for just twelve minutes.

When the cake comes out of the oven, mix the fudgy icing, then spread it on the warm cake. It oozes into every nook and cranny with absolutely irresistible crowd pleasing results. Oooo la la! It couldn’t be faster and easier. Or yummier! It’s a blue ribbon winner every time, best enjoyed with a tall glass of icy cold milk, perfect for last minute company. Trust me, you’ll spend more time sharing this recipe than actually baking the cake. Just remember: no dilly dallying!

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29 Minute Decadent Chocolate Sheet Cake

Quick to make, easy to eat! Rich chocolate sheet cake.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 17 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 29 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Allie Taylor - Through Her Looking Glass

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 cup water
• 4 tablespoons cocoa
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup butter
• 7 tablespoons milk
• 4 tablespoons cocoa
• 4 cups 1 pound Domino confectioners (powdered) sugar

Instructions

• Cake: Mix together flour, sugar and salt in mixing bowl.
• Separately, boil 1/2 cup butter with oil, water and 4 tablespoons cocoa.
• Mix together flour mixture and boiled ingredients with mixer.
• Add buttermilk, baking soda, eggs, cinnamon and vanilla.
• Pour batter into greased and floured 10 X 15" jelly roll pan.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes or 'til toothpick comes out clean.
• Fudgy Chocolate Icing: Melt on low heat, 1/4 cup butter, milk and 4 tablespoons cocoa.
• Add in powdered sugar.
• Mix 'til smooth.
• Pour and spread onto warm cake.
• Cool.

Notes

Assemble the ingredients before starting.
If you don't have buttermilk on hand, mix 1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar with 1/2 cup milk. Let sit a few minutes. Voila, buttermilk!
Preheat oven before mixing cake batter.
Use a greased and floured 10 X 15" jelly roll pan or line with parchment paper.
Make frosting immediately after cake is out of the oven, then frost.

I said this was a quick cake. Not that it wasn’t messy.  (Hope the baker isn’t also the dishwasher. And good luck on that!)

You may also like: Brick Street Chocolate Cake

The post 29 Minute Decadent Chocolate Sheet Cake appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.