Prep time: 45 minutes

Makes about 2 pounds (about 2 dozen pieces)

Rio Terlinde of Sacramento was looking for a peppermint bark recipe.

Williams-Sonoma started selling peppermint bark in 1999. It quickly became one of its most popular holiday items, usually selling out before Christmas. The recipe for this famous peppermint treat is a closely guarded secret, but cooks for Food Network Kitchens tried their hand at duplicating Williams-Sonoma's version. They think this recipe is a pretty close match.

Linda S. Jones of Sacramento found it in the December 2012 issue of Food Network Magazine.

Debbie Balfrey of Fair Oaks shared a similar recipe and suggested that you don't allow the first layer to cool too long before topping with the second layer, otherwise the two layers will separate.

• Ingredients:

12 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, chopped into ½-inch pieces

1½ teaspoons peppermint extract, divided use

1 pound good-quality white chocolate, chopped into ½-inch pieces

3 candy canes or 12 round hard peppermint candies, crushed

• Instructions:

Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil, shiny-side up; smooth out any wrinkles. Heat 1 inch of water in a saucepan over low heat until steaming. Put all but ¾ cup of the semisweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over the saucepan of steaming water (do not let the bowl touch the water) and stir until one-third of the chocolate is melted.

Remove the bowl from the saucepan; keep the steaming water over low heat. Gradually stir the reserved ¾ cup semisweet chocolate into the bowl, a few pieces at a time, until all of the chocolate is melted. Return the bowl to the saucepan, 5 to 10 seconds at a time, to help melt the chocolate, if needed. Do not rush this step. It may take up to 10 minutes to melt the chocolate.

Wipe off any moisture from the bottom of the bowl. Stir ¾ teaspoon peppermint extract into the chocolate, then quickly pour into the prepared baking dish and spread in an even layer. Firmly tap the dish against the counter to remove any air bubbles. Set aside at room temperature until almost set, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, put all but 1 cup of the white chocolate in a large, heatproof bowl and repeat the melting process over the steaming water; dry off the bottom of the bowl. Stir in the remaining ¾ teaspoon peppermint extract; pour over the semisweet chocolate and spread in an even layer.

Sprinkle immediately with the crushed candy canes or peppermint candies, gently pressing them into the white chocolate. Set aside at room temperature until firm, about 1 hour. Lift the bark out of the pan using the foil and break it into pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

• Per piece: 169 calories; 2 grams protein; 19 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams fat (7 saturated, 2 monounsaturated, 1 polyunsaturated); 4 milligrams cholesterol; 17 milligrams sodium; 0 grams fiber; 54 percent calories from fat.