Sleepy Hollow Peppermint Bark

Name: Sleepy Hollow Peppermint Bark
Prep time: 2 h
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 3 h 30 min
Yield: 1 Tree, 6 serving(s)
Ingredients: 4 -5 standard bags peppermint candies; 2 cups good quality chocolate chips; 2 cups good quality white chocolate chips; paint powder, in brown black and Ivory; 3 teaspoons vodka, as liquid agent for paints

Submitted by ChristineMcConnell

"Peppermint bark may be a hallmark of the Christmas season, but when transformed into an insidious looking tree, it's clear it's a treat that was truly made for the month of October. Bedazzled with hand-painted peppermint candies and resting peacefully on a flowing bed of white chocolate, this dazzlingly dark dessert is sure deliver the ohhs and ahhs you've worked so hard for. Its ingredients keep very well, so feel free to prepare well in advance of your next fright fest."

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photo by ChristineMcConnell

Ready In:: 3hrs 30mins
Ingredients:: 5
Yields:: 1 Tree
Serves:: 6

ingredients

4 -5 standard bags peppermint candies
2 cups good quality chocolate chips
2 cups good quality white chocolate chips
paint powder, in brown black and Ivory
3 teaspoons vodka, as liquid agent for paints

directions

Heat oven to 310 degrees. Space out 15-20 unwrapped candies on two parchment lined baking sheets. (Keeping two baking sheets in the oven at a time ensures you constantly have something to work with and saves your rom just sitting there twiddling your thumbs.) Allow to melt just a bit (5-7 minutes) and pull out first sheet. You're going to be stretching and twisting the candies around one another to eventually shape a tree. If you're frustrated with how they're sticking or if anything breaks, simply heat with a Brûlée torch or handheld lighter for a moment and reapply. If you accidentally burn it (which I did several times), just toss it. Definitely use the torch at the base of your candy cane trunk before applying to stand—you want as sound a structure as you can get!
Once you have your peppermint skeleton, now's the fun part of painting on the chocolate. Melt down chocolate in a double boiler until its just in a liquid state (110 degrees on candy thermomter is ideal for chocolate). GENTLY paint chocolate onto your skeleton, doing several coats and re-heating chocolate as needed. When desired affect is achieved, hand-paint several spare peppermint candies with black stripes and adhere using any extra chocolate.
Using fine paint brushes, paint your tree with edible paints making highlights and low lights where they seem appropriate. Clean any mess from base using a warm clean cloth. Melt down white chocolate and pour into base to create clean smooth effect.