Peppermint Date Bark Recipe

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With Christmas simply across the nook our household is in full holiday 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 to be like fairly on the plate for visitors, but it surely shines simply as vivid for an on a regular basis dessert for the household. I’ll make a double batch and freeze the additional for a fast and straightforward approach to have dessert readily available.

Peppermint Date Bark Elements

You’ve in all probability 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 lately and there are many nice recipes. Nevertheless, they will nonetheless depend on lots of sugar.

Mighty Medjool Dates

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

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

Cacao vs Chocolate Chips

As an alternative of normal 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 can 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 a little bit coconut oil to the cacao butter wafers and cacao wafers when melting for a extra spreadable texture.

The addition makes this peppermint bark an important vegan, allergen-friendly possibility for anybody who needs to keep away from dairy.

Nut Butter (and Substitutes)

I really like the sleek, creamy taste of almond butter in these. You may also 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, strive 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 elements 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, but it surely’s additionally excessive in wholesome fat and vitamin so it’s filling. Right here’s the way to 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 lower throughout, the halves ought to stay connected. Prepare the dates on one half of the parchment in 4 rows of three.
Frivolously 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 produce 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 high of the double boiler or glass bowl with 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil. Drizzle or pipe the cacao butter over thh high of the bark.
Sprinkle flaky sea salt excessive.
Carry the bark utilizing the parchment onto a baking sheet and chill within the fridge or freezer till absolutely set, about 20–half-hour.
Slice or break into items and revel in!