Peppermint Bark Cups

STEP 1

In a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, make a dry caramel by cooking half of the sugar over medium-high heat. As soon as the sugar starts to melt, use a heat-resistant spatula to move it constantly around the pan—you want it all to melt and caramelize evenly to a gorgeous amber color.

STEP 2

Once the first amount of sugar has taken on color, sprinkle the remaining half of sugar to the existing caramel in the pan —cook and stir until the mixture is once again a gorgeous amber color. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

STEP 3

Very slowly and very carefully, stir in the heavy cream. The caramel will bubble up and steam; stand away until the steam dissipates. Use the heat-resistant spatula to stir the mixture together.

STEP 4

Carefully stir in the cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt until smooth. (If the mixture is at all lumpy, put the saucepan back over medium heat and stir constantly until the sugar bits have dissolved.) Let the caramel cool completely in the fridge or freezer for 2 hours before using.

STEP 5

Line 6 cupcake molds with paper or pull out a clean, dry silicone cupcake mold.

STEP 6

In a small heastfasfe bowl, gently melt chocolate and oil together in the microwave, stirring intermittently until smooth.

STEP 7

Load a ziploc bag with ⅔ of the melted white chocolate and cut a small hole in the corner. Gently squeeze the chocolate into the bottom and ½” up the sides of the 6 paper lined cupcake tin. Sprinkle half the peppermint bits across the bottom of each cup. Pop in the fridge for 10 minutes to set.

STEP 8

Pull the cocoa caramel filling out of the fridge and load it into a ziploc bag. Pull the peppermint bark cups out of the fridge. Cut a small hole in the corner of the cocoa caramel filling then gently and evenly squeeze the filling across the 6 shells, ⅛ inch below the top of the chocolate walls. Push one mini pretzel into the caramel to fully submerge. Tap the cups on the counter to remove any air bubbles and flatten the surface of the filling. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

STEP 9

Load the last ziploc bag with the remaining white chocolate (feel free to gently heat the chocolate if it begins to set) and cut a small hole in the corner. Gently and evenly pipe the chocolate over the surface of the filling, covering it completely. Sprinkle the remaining half of the peppermint bits over the top of the chocolate. Tap the cups on the counter again to settle the chocolate of the final layer.

STEP 10

Pop your peppermint bark cups in the fridge for 10 minutes to set completely before crushing, or packaging up to make one of my favorite holiday gifts to give!