Peppermint Date Bark Recipe

With Christmas simply across the nook our household is in full vacation mode. Meaning internet hosting, baking, and making tasty treats like this peppermint date bark. It’s naturally sweetened with dates and is filled with vitamins.

This dessert appears fairly on the plate for company, however it shines simply as shiny for an on a regular basis dessert for the household. I’ll make a double batch and freeze the additional for a fast and simple solution to have dessert readily available.

Peppermint Date Bark Components

You’ve most likely heard of chocolate bark earlier than. It often includes waxy tasting, tremendous candy chocolate lined in fruit, nuts, or sweet. Bark sweet has gotten an improve in recent times and there are many nice recipes. Nonetheless, they will nonetheless depend on numerous sugar.

Mighty Medjool Dates

This model although depends on Medjool dates for the majority of the sweetness. These dates are stuffed with fiber and have modest quantities of iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. They’re additionally a very good supply of vitamin B6 and copper. Medjool dates are wealthy in antioxidants to battle free radical harm.

Researchers have studied their carotenoid and phenolic acid antioxidants and found advantages in the case of coronary heart well being. A 2021 research concluded consuming entire dates helped enhance coronary heart well being markers. This included higher levels of cholesterol, and decrease oxidative stress and irritation.

Cacao vs Chocolate Chips

As an alternative of standard chocolate chips, I used two sorts of cacao wafers for this peppermint date bark. Cacao wafers are pure chocolate with out the added milk or sugar. They’ve calcium, iron, antioxidants, and different vitamins which might be nice for general well being.

Cacao butter wafers are comprised of the pure fatty a part of the cacao bean. They’re much like white chocolate chips, however once more with out the added milk and sugar. I added just a little coconut oil to the cacao butter wafers and cacao wafers when melting for a extra spreadable texture.

The addition makes this peppermint bark a fantastic vegan, allergen-friendly possibility for anybody who desires to keep away from dairy.

Nut Butter (and Substitutes)

I like the graceful, creamy taste of almond butter in these. You can too make date bark with peanut butter. Want a nut free possibility? To make date bark with out peanut butter or different nut butters, substitute sunflower butter. And as a substitute of the chopped almonds, attempt pumpkin seeds or hemp seeds for some crunch.

Whereas the unique date bark recipes tasted extra like a Snickers bar, these have a mint taste. I added some crushed sweet canes to the highest for some festive sweetness. Most peppermint sweet has components I favor to keep away from, however I actually like these ones from Yum Earth for an occasional deal with. They’re naturally flavored with actual mint, use natural sugar, and are coloured with fruits and veggies.

Peppermint date bark is excessive in energy, however it’s additionally excessive in wholesome fat and diet so it’s filling. Right here’s how one can make it!

Peppermint Date Bark Recipe

Fold a bit of parchment paper in half and lay it open on a flat floor. Slice every pitted date in half lengthwise, however don’t minimize all over, the halves ought to stay hooked up. Prepare the dates on one half of the parchment in 4 rows of three.
Evenly moist the parchment paper. Fold the parchment over the dates and gently roll with a rolling pin to flatten them evenly.
Unfold almond butter evenly over the flattened dates. Sprinkle the chopped almonds over the almond butter layer.
Fill a pot or the underside of the double boiler with a number of inches of water and convey to a simmer. Add the chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon of coconut oil to the highest pot or bowl.
Pour the melted chocolate over the almond butter and date layer and unfold evenly.
Place sweet canes or peppermint candies in a small bag and crush with a rolling pin or heavy object. Sprinkle the crushed peppermint evenly over the chocolate.
Soften the cacao butter wafers within the prime of the double boiler or glass bowl with 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil. Drizzle or pipe the cacao butter over thh prime of the bark.
Sprinkle flaky sea salt excessive.
Elevate the bark utilizing the parchment onto a baking sheet and chill within the fridge or freezer till totally set, about 20–half-hour.
Slice or break into items and luxuriate in!