I’m not sure what my problem is this December. I feel busier and more behind than last year. By all calculations, I should have oodles of free time since I’m not writing a daily holiday blog.  Speaking of which, I’ve had many, many requests for my recipe from last year’s temporary gig so here it is. (I promise the recipe won’t ever disappear over here! )

Rocky road candy bark looks beautiful yet is simple enough for little bakers old enough to hold a spoon to help out with. Since homemade candy keeps longer than most baked goods, you can make it well in advance. It also ships beautifully to out-of-town family and friends. And I think it tastes a whole lot better than any fruitcake, but that’s just my opinion. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

INGREDIENTS: 1 lb of milk chocolate coating wafers 1/2 lb white chocolate coating wafers 1 cup peanuts 1 cup mini marshmallows (note: I prefer to use chocolate coating wafers because they melt easily and are very difficult to mess up, but feel free to substitute your favorite type of chocolate alternative.)

1.  Melt the milk chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for two minutes stirring once. Remove the chocolate from the microwave and stir until smooth. Melt the white chocolate separately following the same directions.

2. Mix the nuts and the marshmallows together in a small bowl, then stir half of them into the milk chocolate. Using a spatula, spread the mixture onto a 9″ x 13″ baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

3. Drop the white chocolate by tablespoonfuls over the milk chocolate. With the tip of a butter knife, swirl the chocolate together to create a marbled effect as pictured above.

4. Sprinkle on the remaining peanuts and mini marshmallows.

5. Refrigerate the bark for about an hour or until firm, then break into pieces. Store the bark in the refrigerator or cool place for up to a month.

Now fill your holiday candy dish or give it away as gifts in a cellophane bag tied with a ribbon.

 Enjoy!