Chocolate Peppermint Bark Shortbread

My heart has been urging me to bake and blog and bake and blog, but my head is in business mode and wants me to bake and sell and bake and sell. What is a baker chick to do? In the midst of my 10,000 holiday orders, I did find a small portion of the day to bake some much needed holiday cookies. The idea of making peppermint bark came to me in my sleep. I kid no one here. I really do dream of baked goods; both baking and eating them. My all time favorite reoccurring dream involves me stealing a car (most likely a stick-shift. don't know why) and driving it through the storefront of a bakery. Sifting through the wreckage, I manage to make my way to the dessert case and chow on each and every highly caloric crap you can think of. Creepy, I know. I think my heaven will look like a bakeshop. Yes, it'll be me, a bakeshop, and pants with a super expandable waistband. Maternity pants will suffice.

*clap*clap* "Stick to the topic Heather!!!"

Ok, so I love peppermint and chocolate together. Next to Starbucks' Pumpkin Latte I love me a Peppermint Mocha, a drink for which I've appropriately proclaimed tastes like "Christmas". Making peppermint bark seemed like the next logical dessert to bake. But peppermint bark atop a shortbread crust? Ah, genius and simple enough. Now you can put those silly candy canes to use! Yuuuuuummmo...

Chocolate Peppermint Bark Shortbread

Adapted from Bon Appétit , found via epicurious, December 2009

Makes about 36 pieces

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg yolk

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped red-and-whitestriped candy cane (about 3 ounces or 4 candy canes)

2 ounces high-quality white chocolate, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan with non-stick spray. Line bottom of pan with long strip of 9-inch-wide parchment paper, leaving overhang on both short sides of pan. Whisk flour and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, cream butter, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar. Continue beating until light and fluffy, stopping occasionally to scrap down sides of bowl, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla, then egg yolk. Gradually add flour mixture, beating on low speed just to blend.

2. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls into prepares baking pan, spacing evenly. Using moistened fingertips, press dough to form even layer over bottom of pan. Pierce dough all over with fork. Bake cookie base until light golden brown and slightly puffed and edges begin to come away from the sides of pan, about 30 minutes. Place pan on rack; immediately sprinkle chocolate all over. Let stand until chocolate softens, about 2 minutes. Using small offset spatula, spread chocolate over top of cookie in thin even layer. Immediately sprinkle chopped peppermint candies over.

3. In a small microwave safe bowl, heat white chocolate on medium power for 1 minute. Stir white chocolate and microwave for an additional 30 seconds on medium power, or until white chocolate is just melted. Do not overheat. Using fork, drizzle white chocolate all over cookies. Chill until white chocolate has set, about 30 minutes. Using paper overhang as aid, lift cookie from pan and transfer to work surface. Using large knife, cut cookie into irregular pieces. Store in refrigerator in airtight container layered between parchment or wax paper. Keeps for 1 week.

Lil' sista Jenna models a plate of peppermint bark