Peppermint Bark Popcorn — Jennifer Casa

Over the past few years, we've enjoyed our share of Orangette's Peppermint Bark and I have the curves to prove it, ahem. There's something about the holidays + peppermint candies that go hand in hand around here. One sure sign of Advent is when our realtor gifts us a piece of Ohio pottery filled with peppermint candies on the first of December every year. So we've had peppermint candies a'plenty in our home for 10 years now. This year, in the interest of my waistline and also wanting to try something newish, we came up with this stuff. And it is beyond amazing. You still get the flavor, but there's that lightness + crunch that comes with popcorn. And having that join forces with the peppermint + chocolate will make your tastebuds sing. Fa la la la la. Really.

OK, OK... I need to stop with the gushing and just share the recipe now.

Peppermint Bark Popcorn

4 oz. white chocolate, chopped (use the good stuff, such as Callebaut)
1 dozen hard peppermint candies, crushed
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped (again, use good chocolate. You deserve it.)
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
10+ cups popped popcorn (plain/unsalted)

Crush the candies (in their wrappers works great) and place the sweet pepperminty dust into a small bowl (your kids will loooove to do this). Spread out the popcorn on cookie sheets. Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler and drizzle over the popcorn a la Jackson Pollack. While the chocolate is still melty, sprinkle half the peppermint dust over the popcorn. Take a break and “clean” the bowl. (What, like you wouldn't do that? I thought so.) Melt the bittersweet chocolate and add in the peppermint extract while it's melting. drizzle the dark minty luciousness overtop the popcorn in same manner you did the white chocolate, then sprinkle the remaining peppermint dust on top while the chocolate is melty. Place the cookie sheets into the fridge to harden the chocolate.

When all of those chocolate drizzles have hardened (it will only take a few minutes), remove the cookie sheets from the fridge, scoop up the popcorn in clumps, eat some and place the rest in airtight containers. Store in the fridge - the slight chill adds to the mintyness.

Share with friends + family, and enjoy an extra handful at 10pm when nobody is looking. XOXO