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Peppermint Bark Popcorn: A Perfect Last-Minute Holiday Treat

With the risk of sounding like a broken record, this holiday season arrived so fast and has scurried along with unbelievable speed. I keep talking about it because it’s so true — the sprint from Thanksgiving to Christmas happened so incredibly fast. And I know I’m not alone in feeling this way. Other moms and I have chatted about this while volunteering at school, waiting in the grocery store checkout line and more.

I’m really not sure I am ready for it to be Christmas yet. Last night we finally decorated our Christmas tree, bought earlier this week. Today I will finally start wrapping presents, which I am excited to do. While I’m not really ready, Christmas is practically here. Good thing I devoted some time to baking treats last weekend — we were able to gift some to friends, family, teachers and other important folks.

I really like giving a homemade component with gifts and am glad that I could even with our hectic and frantic schedule this year. Homemade gifts are something from the heart – something we’ve personally made with love and care. I hope others receive it as such.

While some treats take patience and time to make, not all do. And that’s a good thing. This treat — Peppermint Bark Popcorn — falls into that ridiculously easy category that I love. In just a few really easy and simple steps, you transform plain popped popcorn into a surprising and a little unusual sweet treat. It takes about 10 minutes active time, including popping the corn. That’s it. With hardening time, it’s about an hour or so (especially if your house is chilly like mine).

Start with four easy ingredients: popcorn, two types of chocolate and candy canes.

Spread plain popped popcorn out on a baking sheet into a single layer so that you can get the chocolate all over every piece. Then melt and drizzle the dark chocolate followed by the white chocolate. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Let the chocolate cool and harden and you are done. Easy peasy … right?

This is great for packing up and gifting. I love doing it in little (or bigger) treat bags. Be sure to label it so folks know what they’re getting too.

Peppermint Bark Popcorn

Peppermint Bark Popcorn

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 cups freshly popped plain popcorn
  • 4 oz 60% cacao dark chocolate
  • 3-4 oz white chocolate
  • 2 candy canes, crushed

Instructions

  1. Line a large baking sheet with waxed paper. Spread out the popcorn on the baking sheet into one single layer.
  2. Melt the dark chocolate in a microwave safe bowl using this method: break the chocolate into pieces and place in the bowl. Microwave for 45 seconds. Stir. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat if necessary, microwaving for 30 seconds and stirring until the chocolate is smooth. DO NOT overcook.
  3. Drizzle the chocolate all over the popcorn, taking care to get it on each piece (but don't be fussy about it -- just let it drip and drizzle).
  4. Melt the white chocolate in a second microwave-safe bowl, following the same process as you did for the dark chocolate. Drizzle all over the popcorn, taking care to get it on all the pieces.
  5. Sprinkle the crushed peppermint all over the popcorn.
  6. Allow the chocolate to cool and harden. Then package the popcorn as desired. This is perfect for gifting or for a holiday treat.

Kate

Saturday 24th of December 2011

I was all ready for Christmas at the beginning of the month, and even I am shocked that it's now upon us.

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