Reindeerbark Recipes

REINDEER BARK

Steps:

• Remove wrappers from candy canes and coarsley chop. I put them in a baggie and hit them with a hammer.
• Melt white chocolate in a double boiler or microwave.
• Add enouh green food coloring to the melted white chocolate to reach a pale green color.
• Stir in 2/3 of the chopped candy canes.
• Pour into a 9 x 13 inch dish that has been lined with wax paper sprayed with a little Pam. Refrigerate until set.
• Melt the semi-sweet chocolate and spread over the white chocolate.
• Sprinkle on the remaining candy canes, pressing gently into the chocolate. Refrigerate until set.
• Break or cut into pieces.

MELTING SNOWMAN BARK

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the white chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave at 50 percent power for 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until it is completely smooth.
• Melt the semisweet chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave at 50 percent power in 15 second intervals, stirring after each until it is completely smooth. Transfer to a piping bag with a small plain tip (#2 or #3). (Alternatively, transfer to a resealable plastic bag and snip off a corner.)
• Spoon 12 ovals of white chocolate onto the parchment for the melted snowman bodies, leaving several tablespoons of white chocolate behind in the bowl. Top each oval with a truffle for a head. (If the truffle has a flatter side, attach it facing up for the hat decoration option, so the hat will adhere. If you are making the earmuff option, place the more rounded side up.)
• For the hat decoration: Cut each licorice gumdrop in half crosswise. Lay the flat disc-shaped piece on a flat surface and use the heel of your hand to flatten it into a larger disc shape. Attach the other half of the licorice back onto each using the sticky sides to adhere to each other. Dip the bottom of the licorice candies in the reserved white chocolate and attach to the tops of the truffles for hats.
• For the earmuff decoration: Spread white chocolate on the rope licorice and attach to the truffles for earmuff headbands. Dot white chocolate onto the mini candy-coated chocolates and attach to the sides of the truffles to make the earmuffs.
• For the body and face decoration: Stick the pretzel pieces into the white chocolate for arms and arrange some of the mini candy-coated chocolates down the center for buttons. With scissors, cut the gummy belts in half lengthwise, trim the ends to make scarves and set aside.
• Spread a little white chocolate on the orange candies and attach for noses, holding in place until the chocolate hardens. Pipe the semisweet chocolate on for the eyes and mouth. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.
• Wrap the gummy scarves around the snowmen and pinch to attach at the front. Serve immediately or keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Dust the melted snowmen with confectioners' sugar if desired.

REINDEER FOOD

Steps:

• Cover a large area of counter space with waxed paper and tape it down.
• Mix pretzels, corn cereal squares, peanuts, and candy-coated milk chocolate pieces together in a large bowl.
• Melt white chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching. Pour melted white chocolate over pretzel mixture; stir to evenly coat. Quickly transfer mixture to the prepared waxed paper and spread in a thin layer; cool completely. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

OREO™ COOKIE BARK

Steps:

• Line a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan with waxed paper. Coat paper with non-stick vegetable spray and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, break half of the cookies into coarse pieces with fingers or the back of a wooden spoon.
• In a microwave safe glass or ceramic mixing bowl, melt one package of the white chocolate according to package directions. Remove from microwave and quickly fold in broken cookie pieces. Pour mixture into prepared pan and spread to cover half the pan.
• Repeat process with remaining chocolate and cookies, spreading mixture into the other half of pan. Refrigerate until solid, about 1 hour.
• Remove bark from the pan and carefully peel off waxed paper. Place bark on a large cutting board and cut with a large chef's knife. Store in airtight container.

REINDEER & SNOWMAN CHOCOLATE BARK

Steps:

• Line a baking tin with baking parchment. Heat both chocolates in separate bowls in the microwave in 30-sec blasts, or over pans of simmering water. Pour the dark chocolate into the baking tin, then pour the milk chocolate on top in a trail. Spread the chocolate out to make a reasonably thick slab.
• Arrange the red smarties over the slab at intervals - these are the reindeer noses. Cut a marshmallow in half and press above the smarties to make eyes. Snap a pretzel in half for each set of antlers, snapping off any excess pretzel, then push into the chocolate near the noses.
• To make the snowmen, arrange the rest of the marshmallows in lines of three. Use pieces of pretzel for the arms and a piece of shoe lace for the scarf. Sprinkle over the stars and sprinkles, then leave the chocolate to set completely.
• Once the chocolate is hard, use an icing pen or small brush dipped in black food colouring to add pupils to the reindeer eyes, and faces and buttons for the snowmen. Use a knife to cut the bark into pieces around the reindeer and snowmen. To give them as gifts, put the chocolate shards in cellophane bags and tie with a pretty ribbon.