If you read my blog with any regularity, you know that my children are constantly infecting me with diseases. I can’t seem to make them stop. And while I’ve grown reconciled to the common cold, I wish that stomach viruses could stop being the number one thing my kids transmit on a regular basis.
Who wants to spend two to three days in bed, hating food and moaning? I love food. And right now, it’s hard to write about it because I am once again diseased.
The good news is, I tried this bark before the sickness hit. And as someone who isn’t too fond of anything with mint, I still ate a few pieces because it was just that good.
Making swirled bark is easy and more importantly, super pretty. To make this, I melted chocolate chips and those Hershey candy cane kisses in separate bowls. I layered the two and gently swirled with a knife. I didn’t want to over-swirl.
What resulted was this really pretty bark. It looks kind of like cherry, or berry, but it’s mint! And it’s perfect for those holiday gift bags or tins.
To be super honest, I can’t write much more about food right now. Too painful, folks. I’m going to curl up in bed now and groan with my Netflix streaming. But for those of you who don’t have yucky infections, this bark is the perfect holiday treat!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
- Fill one microwave-safe bowl with the chocolate chips and the other with the candy cane Kisses.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Spread the melted chocolate evenly onto the prepared cookie sheet.
- Microwave the candy cane Kisses for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Stir until smooth, but don't overdo it. Your goal is to still have some color variation in the candy cane layer.
- Pour the melted Kisses carefully over the melted chocolate. Spread it out evenly, but gently. Lightly swirl a knife through the layers to create a swirl, but again, don't overdo it.
- Refrigerate the bark for 30 minutes. When it's firm, either break into pieces with your hands or cut into diamonds or rectangles. Store in an airtight container.
Sorry, but it’s still officially Pie Week here on Just About Baked. I see no reason to stop making pies. Why should I? As long as I’ve got breath in me, I will bake pies!
Don’t worry, this one is easy. And delicious. And holiday-esque. And gluten-free. And mint, which is highly rare on this blog. In case you missed it earlier, I’m not so fond of mint.
But heck, the things I do for my readers. You all seem to like mint, so with a shake of my head, I present you with this lovely ganache pie, rich and chocolatey and garnished with lots of crushed candy cane Hershey kisses. You are very welcome!
You see, since having kids, I’ve learned to put other people before me in every area, even dessert. My kids don’t always love the desserts I make, so I will compromise my better instincts and give them the packaged crap they prefer to homemade cookies. Why not?
It’s with that spirit that I give you this pie. Honestly, I had a few bites to test it, and considering that it’s mint, I was happy with it. That means I didn’t want to stop eating it. So for you people who really like mint, I can only imagine what this will do to you.
I used the gluten-free Pillsbury pie crust, which rolls out just as nicely as any pie crust I’ve ever used. It also tastes wonderfully flaky. The ganache balances it out perfectly, and the mint adds that welcome cool blast.
Speaking of, this pie needs to stay refrigerated, so just be aware. And also be aware that I will probably not make anything mint again until Girl Scout cookie season. This is my gift to you. Happy Holidays!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Coat a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.
- Roll the pastry dough into a large circle after kneading according to package directions. Press the dough into the pie pan and use the tines of a fork to make a pattern along the edge.
- Prick the bottom of the crust with the fork. Bake the crust for about 20 minutes until golden.
- Make the ganache. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips and heavy cream for 1 minute. Stir until smooth.
- Pour the ganache into the cooked pie crust. Sprinkle the chopped candy cane kisses on top.
- Chill for 3 hours to overnight. Slice into wedges and serve.