Peppermint Bark Brownies

Every holiday season the one gift I buy for myself is a tin of original peppermint bark from Williams-Sonoma. With defined layers of dark chocolate, white chocolate, and craggy bits of crushed peppermint, this luxe peppermint bark—which costs $30 a tin—is infinitely superior to any convenience store version (trust me, I’ve tried them all). It’s definitely a splurge, but it’s so, so worth it.

This year I’m channeling that holy trinity of flavors—deep, rich dark chocolate, milky white chocolate, and sharp peppermint—into a dessert I can give to friends and family (because let’s face it, I can only afford so many $30 tins of peppermint bark). I swapped the solid dark chocolate base for a super-fudgy, rich, and chocolaty brownie. It’s made with both Dutch-process cocoa powder (Hershey’s Special Dark is my personal favorite) and melted dark chocolate, plus a teaspoon of instant espresso powder to heighten the chocolate flavor (you can skip it if you don’t have any on hand, but I love how it deepens the flavor of the chocolate). As for the white chocolate layer, I’ve opted for a silky white chocolate ganache—make it on the same double-boiler you used for the brownie batter or zap it in the microwave. Either way, go for a high-quality white chocolate, such as the Choc-au-Lait from Guittard (which also happens to be the brand Williams-Sonoma uses in its signature bark). A bit of peppermint extract balances the sweetness of the white chocolate and gives the ganache that requisite holiday flavor. And for a final touch, crushed candy canes finish the brownies with a dazzling, festive look.

I’ll still be buying my requisite tin of peppermint bark, but I’ll happily bake batch after batch of these party-ready brownies too.

Planning a holiday baking marathon? Fill out the tin with festive cookies and make yourself a cup of hot cocoa while you’re at it.