If You Are Having Trouble Tempering the Chocolate, You Can Always Prepare Truffles.
Last weekend I was making peppermint bark, a treat this site described as “incredibly light,” and I messed it up. I poured a layer of perfectly tempered dark chocolate onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and then mixed the peppermint oil with my white chocolate. When I was about to pour white chocolate into the dark, I noticed something: liquid.
Once the water gets into the chocolate, the chocolate will never be the same again. (And yes, for our purposes, white chocolate counts as chocolate.) I stirred the mixture, hoping my eyes were deceiving me, but it stuck. Instead of glossy, melting goodness, white chocolate was the texture of the cookie dough. Dreams of becoming peppermint bark have collapsed.
Confiscated chocolate will never spill or harden, but it tastes delicious. I put everything in a bowl and added some heavy cream. (For 20 ounces of chocolate, I tasted about a quarter cup of cream.) That makes ganache, a creamy texture material that makes a great filling for truffles. Dilute it with add-ons if you like: I mixed a few lollipop pieces that would go over the peppermint bark.
Chill the mixture until it hardens, then pour the mixture into small balls. You can finish off the truffles by sprinkling with chopped hard candy, chopped nuts, or cocoa powder. Or, if you’re brave, temper another batch of chocolate and dip it in the frosting. Good luck this time!