Many years ago, you used to be able to buy these delightful peppermint creams from supermarkets and then they were no more. Since that day, there has been a peppermint cream shaped hole in my heart. Until now. These are such a tasty treat and are so easy to make I can’t believe I didn’t do it sooner.
Ingredients
+ 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar syrup (make your own by adding 1 teaspoon of white sugar to 1 1/2 tablespoons of boiling water)
+ 1 1/2 tablespoons water
+ 4-6 drops of peppermint oil (be sure to taste before adding any more as they can be quite strong)
+ 1 tablespoon of melted vegetable shortening
+ pinch of salt
+ 300 g bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped.
Method
TO MAKE THE FILLING
In the bowl of your electric mixer, add the icing sugar, sugar syrup, water, peppermint oil, shortening, and a pinch of salt. Beat at a medium speed until smooth, and your paste has formed into a ball. You may require a little extra icing sugar depending on how much peppermint oil you used.
Get a large section of baking paper and fold it in half, like a booklet. Roll the paste out between the two sheets of until half a centimeter high. Freeze on a flat surface or baking tray until firm, about 15 minutes. Fold back the top sheet of paper and sprinkle with icing sugar. Replace top sheet, flip round over and repeat sprinkling on other side.
Cut out as many rounds as possible with a cutter, transferring to a parchment-lined baking sheet. I use the top of my piping bag nozzle or a small cookie cutter. Freeze rounds until firm, at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, gather scraps, reroll, and freeze, then cut out more rounds, freezing them.
TO COAT THE ROUNDS
Line a large baking sheet with foil. Place chocolate in medium metal bowl, over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth and thermometer inserted into chocolate registers 46°C. Remove bowl from over water. If you don’t have a thermometer, you could try doing it without following these instructions.
Working quickly, submerge 1 peppermint round in melted chocolate. Using two forks, lift out and allow excess coating to drip off. Transfer to prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining rounds. You can decorate the peppermint creams by drizzling any remaining chocolate on top. Let stand until coating sets, at least 1 hour.
I am yet to discover a way of trimming the excess chocolate neatly, but the best method I have involves warming a butter knife and simply trimming around the edges.
These peppermint creams can keep, layered between sheets of parchment in an airtight container, chilled, for one month. If you are able to leave them for that long Bring to room temperature before serving.
Original recipe sourced from Epicurious.
the patient cook 