December 22, 2020 by Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN
Looking for a sweet holiday treat that you can prepare at home? Or maybe you want to make a healthy holiday candy to give away to your friends and family. My peppermint bark recipe contains antioxidant-rich dark chocolate and cocoa butter; plus, its festive colors, that are naturally made with beet juice and spirulina, will definitely get you into the holiday spirit.
I love baking with dark chocolate. I’ve used it in a number of recipes, like my dark chocolate coconut clusters recipe and my gooey chocolate crinkle cookies recipe. Good quality dark chocolate that’s 75 percent cacao or higher is an excellent source of antioxidants that help to protect you from disease-causing free radical damage and early signs of aging.
My peppermint bark recipe also calls for cacao butter, which is high in antioxidants like polyphenols and flavonoids and contains several types of healthy fatty acids.
So if you’re looking to prepare a healthy holiday candy this season, try my peppermint bark recipe. I promise, you won’t be disappointed!
What Is Peppermint Bark?
I bet you don’t often think about how a holiday candy can improve your immunity when you take that first bite. Well, this peppermint bark is not only delicious, it’s also a lot healthier than the vast majority of holiday treats.
There are a few key ingredients in my peppermint bark that are working to make you healthier. Dark chocolate, coconut oil and cocoa butter contain powerful antioxidants and healthy fats.
Plus, I use maple syrup as a natural sweetener, and beet juice and spirulina as natural food dyes, so there’s really nothing artificial about this peppermint bark. You can enjoy a piece of this delicious candy without feeling the typical guilt that comes with indulging.
Key Ingredients
Peppermint oil: Did you know that just the scent of peppermint oil can reduce hunger cravings? If you are using peppermint oil internally for this recipe, be sure to use a high-quality oil that’s 100 percent pure grade.
Cacao butter: Did you know that cacao butter is the fat source that’s used to make chocolate? It’s a healthy fat that’s extracted from the cocoa bean, and it’s loaded with antioxidants.
Dark chocolate: When it comes to choosing a sweet treat, dark chocolate may be your healthiest choice. That’s because good quality dark chocolate contains disease-fighting antioxidants.
Spirulina: Spirulina is a blue-green algae that I use as a natural green food coloring in this peppermint bark recipe. Instead of using synthetic food dyes, spirulina promotes the detoxification of heavy metals and boosts your energy levels.
How to Make Peppermint Bark
To begin preparing your peppermint bark, you’ll need a double boiler over medium heat. Melt 3 cups of cocoa butter, 2 tablespoons of powdered coconut milk, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and about 5 drops of peppermint oil.
Let the ingredients come together. This is your white chocolate mixture. Next, you’ll divide it into three bowls so you can add the natural food coloring.
In one of your white chocolate bowls, add 1 tablespoon of powdered spirulina. Mix the spirulina in thoroughly until you get your desired green color and it’s evenly distributed.
Next, pour the green white chocolate mixture into a dish that’s lined with parchment paper. Then place it in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Now you’ll take your second bowl of white chocolate and begin making your red white chocolate.
Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of fresh beet juice to your white chocolate. Mix it until you get your desired red color and it looks even. If you want the red to be deeper, just add a little more beet juice.
Then add your red chocolate to a dish lined with parchment paper and leave it in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes.
While you are waiting on your red and green chocolate mixtures, you can begin prepping your dark chocolate mixture. Add three 3-ounce dark chocolate barks (that are at least 75 percent cacao) to a double boiler. Then add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup and 5 drops of peppermint oil. Combine.
Once the ingredients are melted and well-combined, pour the dark chocolate mixture into a lined baking sheet and spread it out evenly.
Then pour the remaining white chocolate on top of the dark chocolate mixture. If necessary, reheat the white chocolate so that it spreads over the dark chocolate.
Now you can take the red and green chocolate mixtures out of the freezer. Using a knife, break up the red chocolate mixture. You want to make small pieces that will be sprinkled over your peppermint bark. Then do the same thing to your green chocolate mixture.
Finally, you get to sprinkle the red and green chocolate pieces on top of the dark and white chocolate. Coat the dish evenly with the red and green pieces. Then place the dish in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes or until it’s completely solidified.
When it comes out of the freezer, break the chocolate apart so it makes about 10 to 15 servings. Enjoy your festive and delicious peppermint bark!
Peppermint Bark Recipe
Author: Dr. Josh Axe
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 14 pieces 1x
Diet: Vegan
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My peppermint bark recipe contains antioxidant-rich dark chocolate and cocoa butter; plus, its festive colors, that are naturally made with beet juice and spirulina, will definitely get you into the holiday spirit.
INGREDIENTS
SCALE1x2x3x
10 drops peppermint oil or 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
3 cups cocoa butter or cacao butter
2 tablespoons powdered coconut milk
three 3-ounce dark chocolate bars, 75% cacao and up
1 tablespoon coconut oil
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1–2 tablespoons fresh beet juice (red food coloring)
1 tablespoon powdered spirulina (green food coloring)
INSTRUCTIONS
In a double boiler over medium heat, melt cocoa butter, powdered coconut milk, two tablespoons of maple syrup and 5 drops of peppermint oil.
Separate white chocolate mixture into three bowls. Set one aside.
Add spirulina to one bowl and mix thoroughly until desired green color is evenly distributed.
Pour green white chocolate mixture into a dish lined with parchment paper and place in the freezer for about 15–20 minutes.
Follow steps 3 and 4 once again but add beet juice instead of spirulina.
Remove white chocolate from freezer and break into small pieces. Set aside.
In a double boiler over medium heat, melt chocolate bars, coconut oil, remaining honey and peppermint oil.
Pour dark chocolate mixture into a lined baking sheet. Spread evenly.
Pour remaining white chocolate on top of dark chocolate mixture (reheat white chocolate if necessary).
Sprinkle green and red chocolate pieces on top of the dark and white chocolate.
Place in freezer for 15–20 minutes or until fully solidified.
Break apart for serving.
NOTES To make this recipe easier to put together, I highly recommend that you use a double boiler.