This time of
year, peppermint is everywhere!!! Candy
canes have been associated with Christmas since approximately 1670! Whatever the reason, we wanted to make sure
you had plenty of peppermint recipes to get you through all your Christmas
gatherings!!
chocolate peppermint bark cookies
Yield: 36
pieces
Prep
Time: 30 min + chill time
Cook
Time: 30 min
Best Christmas treat I tried in 2009, and
it's been on my holiday cookie tray every year since...
Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (or use chocolate chips)
1 cup chopped Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses (or use crumbled candy canes)
2 ounces white chocolate
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9x2-inch
metal baking pan with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pan with long strip of
9-inch-wide parchment paper, leaving overhang on both short sides of pan.
2. Whisk flour and salt in medium bowl.
Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until creamy, about 2 minutes.
Gradually beat in sugar. Continue beating until mixture is light and fluffy,
stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl, about 3 minutes. Beat in
vanilla, then egg yolk. Gradually add flour mixture, beating on low speed just
to blend.
3. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls into
prepared baking pan, spacing evenly. Using moistened fingertips, press dough to
form even layer over bottom of pan. Pierce dough all over with fork.
4. Bake cookie base until light golden
brown and slightly puffed and edges begin to come away from sides of pan, about
30 minutes. Place pan on rack; immediately sprinkle bittersweet chocolate over.
Let stand until chocolate softens, about 3 minutes. Using small offset spatula,
spread bittersweet chocolate over top of cookie in thin even layer. Immediately
sprinkle chopped candy cane kisses over (or candy canes).
5. Stir white chocolate in medium metal
bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. If it's too
tough and thick to stir, add a tiny drizzle of vegetable oil or 1/2 teaspoon of
shortening to thin it out. Remove from over water. Using fork, drizzle white
chocolate all over cookies. Chill until white chocolate is set, about 30
minutes.
6. Using paper overhang as aid, lift cookie
from pan and transfer to work surface. Using large knife, cut cookie into
irregular pieces.
Chocolate Peppermint
Cheesecake Cake
This rich chocolate cake has a hidden
tunnel of peppermint cheesecake . The decorated peppermint patties on
top add a fun party look.
Ingredients
1 chocolate cake mix (15.25 oz.)
1 box instant chocolate pudding (4
serving)
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs Recipes
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup water
1 package cream cheese, softened (8
oz.)
1/4 cup sugar Recipes
1 egg
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/4 cup green candy melts
10 lollipop sticks
10 mini Peppermint Patties (I used
snowflake shapes)
1 1/2 teaspoons shortening
holiday sprinkles
Instructions
1. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, egg,
and peppermint extract until creamy. Set aside.
For the Cake
For the Cheesecake
For the Topping12/9/13
2/2
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the
cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, eggs, oil, and water. Beat
for 1 minute on low, and then two
minutes on medium. The batter will be thick. Spoon half the batter
into a 10 inch bundt pan that has been
sprayed with non stick baking spray. (I use Baker's Joy)
3. Spoon the cheesecake batter over the
batter in the pan. Be very careful to not let the cheesecake
batter to touch the sides of the pan.
If it starts to get close, add a spoonful of chocolate batter along
the side of the pan to act as a barrier.
After the cheesecake batter has been added, gently spoon
the rest of the chocolate batter over
the top. It works best to spoon the chocolate batter along the
pan edges first, then over the top of
the cheesecake. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes. Let
cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then
flip out onto a serving plate. Let cool completely.
4. Place the chocolate chips and 1/2
teaspoon shortening in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 30
seconds. Stir. Repeat for 15 seconds.
Stir until melted. Dip the ends of the lollipop sticks into the
chocolate. Gently press into the
peppermint patties and place on a tray. Spoon the chocolate into a
plastic bag with one tip cut off.
Drizzle over the top of the cooled cake. Melt the white chips the
same way and spoon into a clean bag.
Very carefully line your peppermint patties with a snowflake
shape and top with sprinkles. Set
aside. Drizzle the cake with the rest of the melted white
chocolate. Melt the green candy melts
the same way and spoon into another clean bag. Drizzle the
top of the cake. Top with sprinkles.
Let set. Keep refrigerated until serving. Right before serving
place the decorated peppermint patties
into the top of the cake. You may need to cut the ends to
make them different lengths, and you
can also wrap the lollipop sticks in washi tape before sticking
them in the cake if desired. Serves
12-14.
Peppermint
Pattie Brownies
YIELD: 9-12 BROWNIES (1 8X8 PAN)
PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 25 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 1.5 HOURS
ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup chocolate chips
peppermint pattie layer
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
ganache
3.5 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
2.5 tablespoons heavy cream
directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease an 8x8 baking pan with butter or nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, combine melted
butter with sugar and vanilla extract, whisking until combined and almost
smooth. Whisk in each egg one at a time, stirring until a smooth batter forms.
Add in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, stirring until combined. Fold
in chocolate chips. Spread batter in the 8x8 baking dish and bake for 25-30
minutes until set. Remove and let cool.
While brownies are cooling, add
powdered sugar, butter, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla and peppermint extracts to
the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until smooth and creamy. Pour over brownies
and spread in an even layer with a spoon or spatula. Place in the refrigerator
until set, about 30 minutes.
To make ganache, heat heavy cream
until warm and pour it over chopped chocolate. Stir for a few minutes until
totally combined, smooth and creamy. Spread over the top of the peppermint
layer or cut brownies first and spoon over top. I love these refrigerated!
