This year I was really stumped about what to do for the teacher's presents. It doesn't help that between the two children there are 11 teachers, helpers and therapists to send presents to. Anyway, I'd done well with decorations for the bags having crocheted some sweet little snowflakes (very easy and quick) from a free pattern on Attic 24 but I was still feeling uninspired about what to actually put inside the bags. Thankfully you can always rely on bloggers to provide the perfect inspiration and thanks to a post on Soulemama which led me to Orangette our bags are now full of peppermint bark…
… our tummies too – it took a lot of trimming to get the block square ready for cutting!
I used 6 bars of Green and Blacks white vanilla chocolate and 3 bars of dark 70% cocoa (each 100gms), a teaspoon of peppermint essence, 9 tablespoons of double cream and 4 smashed up peppermint candy canes.
I followed the recipe although I did cheat and melt the chocolate in the microwave (on low setting). I spread the first layer of melted chocolate on a sheet of washable, reuseable teflon (I use this for all my cookie baking) and it just peeled off easy as anything at the end.
Chopping the block was hard and I got lots of uneven shapes. I may have made my layers too thick and the chocolate was splintering a bit but I think that adds to the charm of a homemade gift and the really mis-shapen ones just had to be eaten!
I'll be scouring the shops and stocking up on peppermint candy canes so I'm ready to make more of this next year. It's very easy and great for children to help with and is a hundred times nicer to make than the candied chestnuts I slaved over last year. It is also absolutely delicious!
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PS: Thanks for all of the kind comments about my mittens on the last post. All three pairs are based on exactly the same pattern (a very generous free pattern at that) Endpaper mitts by Eunny Jang (which I can now recite in my sleep having made eight pairs based on it). I've written up my modifications over on ravelry so you can see what yarns I used and which different stitches.
little cotton rabbits 
What lucky teachers! If you don’t mind I think I’m going to copy the recipe… and the snowflake pattern as these look like the perfect thing to have a stock of when visiting over Christmas
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Oh that looks so yummy! Very lucky teachers receiving those gorgeous bags full of deliciousness!!
It’s always fun having the leftover bits!!
Must be something in the air I’ve been baking too!
Vivienne x
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Good places to get chocolate that is made with cocoa butter and not vegetable oil is Lidl, Netto and Aldi because they are imported from the places that make chocolate with “proper” ingrediants such as belgium I never buy my chocolate from, anywhere else now, top quality chocolate at really low price.
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How lucky those teachers are to be receiving such wonderful gifts. They look delicious too. All those trimmings, mmmmm.
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Such lucky teachers! The snowflakes are gorgeous (how I wish I could crochet!) and the peppermint bark looks delicious.
K x
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Ive been looking for a crocheted snowflake pattern…..thanks for pointing me in the right direction, A
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The peppermint bark looks so delicious. Lucky teachers and therapists.
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Thanks for the great link about peppermint bark! Have been looking for a good recipe. Hope your Christmas is lovely. I so much enjoy your posts. Will be making some little hedgehogs over vacation!
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those mits are beautiful. Just not sure if I could knit with two colors at a time. Maybe once Christmas has past I will try my hand at it. I just saw a pattern on Rav with Mosiac knitting and loved the patterning in it. That might be my first step.
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oh wow, those bars look AMAZING!! I have to go check out the recipe this instant.
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Your peppermint bark looks fabulous Julie! Those are some very lucky teachers and helpers. That’s just such a lovely, thoughtful gift — especially with the crocheted ornaments!
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Lovely presents, really lovely! And so much better because you made them, and didn’t just go to Thornton’s.
I loved the See Eunny Knit blog, and I miss the inspirational content. I suppose she’s super busy these days…
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Yum! I might have to give this recipe a go in spite of my teacher present days being over!
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I don’t like peppermint really but I have to say you wouldn’t have to work too hard to convince me to try one of these, it looks great!
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It’s so thoughtful to think of your children’s teachers…I’m sure they’ll be very touched. The snowflakes and bags look lovely!
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the peppermint bark looks gorgeous and I just love the snowflakes! what a sweet and thoughtful gift … I’m sure the teachers will be delighted 🙂
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Such yumminess is making me wonder why I didn’t put my teaching qualification to good use! Must definitely try this at home …
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These look so delicious and definitely on the list for next year…and I especially love the addition of the snowflake, very special!
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Hi Julie
You may recall I mentioned some time ago that I wanted to learn to crochet – well your snowflakes inspired me to have a go yesterday!
Hubby is still unwell but is making progress so to assist with his boredom he has unleased a hidden talent(apparently from a childhood bout of tonsilitis when his Mum taught him to crochet) and made a fabulous start on a crocheted blanket!
With this skill unleased we thought we might both have a go!! – oh dear, we are not doing very well, what with me learning a new skill (I can’t understand the pattern, it’s not knitting!) and he not able to grasp the concept of going in the round we are not getting very far.
However it has been fun having a go together, has given us lots of very different conversation and believe me we are not giving up!
Keep your fingers crossed that we will at least achieve a few to grace our lovely glass icicle candle holders which are an absolute bargin in Sainsbury’s (£1.50) – last year I wrapped their star shaped ones (they are avaliable again this year for £1) in cellophane and decorated them with your beautiful Christmas Bears to give as gifts.
Have a wonderful Christmas Julie.
love
Davina x
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Julie
These look yummy, 11 teachers that’s a lot!
Luckily you are so clever at handmade gifts.
Just wanted to pop by and thank you for the card.
Really appreciated it honey and hope you have a lovely
Christmas and a good new year.
Take care, love Kat xox
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Very nice.
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With love to you and yours. Here s to a fabulous New Year filled with Joy…
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I love peppermint bark! I love the thickness of yours – mines thinner, without the layer on the bottom.
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Oh yes, I also got sucked into making peppermint bark after seeing Soulemama’s post! And made that same recipe. It’s not cheap though, is it? I used half your quantities, though the same ratio, and was astounded to see how little (relatively speaking) 4 or 5 bars of Green & Blacks melts down into! Still, it is the most heavenly stuff. Could only find one candy cane left in the local shops, so used Foxes Glacier Mints to supplement – v pretty!
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