Chocolate And Mint Parfaits Recipes

Steps:

• Beat pudding mix, milk and extract with whisk 2 min.
• Whisk COOL WHIP and food coloring until blended.
• Layer pudding alternately with COOL WHIP in 6 parfait glasses. Refrigerate 15 min.

Steps:

• Using 4 parfait glasses or cocktail glasses, pour 1/2 a shot of creme de menthe into each glass. Top with scoops of mint chocolate ice cream, then drizzle another 1/2 a shot per parfait of creme de menthe over ice cream. Garnish parfaits with mint candy and fresh mint sprigs.

Steps:

• Make the chocolate mixture: Place chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Heat 1/2 cup heavy cream in a small saucepan, and pour over chocolate. Let stand 10 minutes, and stir until completely melted and smooth. Set aside.
• Place egg yolk and egg in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat until light and frothy, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
• Place sugar, corn syrup, and the water (do not stir) in a small saucepan set over medium heat until a candy thermometer registers 245 degrees. Wash down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent crystals from forming. With mixer on low, slowly pour sugar mixture into eggs; mix until combined mixture is room temperature, about 2 minutes.
• In another bowl, whip remaining 1/3 cup cream to soft peaks. Fold into egg mixture, and fold in chocolate. Fill 3-ounce plastic cups one-third full. Place in freezer until firm, 4 to 5 hours. Unmold onto a baking sheet lined with waxed paper; cover with plastic wrap, and return to freezer for at least 1 hour.
• Make the mint mixture: Prepare an ice bath, and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; quickly blanch fresh mint 1 minute. Transfer to ice bath to stop cooking and preserve bright color; let cool completely. Remove from ice bath, and place on paper towels; gently squeeze to extract excess water. Set aside.
• Place sugar, corn syrup, dried mint, and the water (do not stir) in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat until a candy thermometer registers 245 degrees. Wash down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent crystals from forming. Remove from heat; let cool.
• Add blanched fresh mint; transfer to the jar of a blender. Blend until mixture is a smooth paste, about 3 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve back into saucepan. Place over medium heat, and gently reheat 2 to 4 minutes. Place egg yolks and egg in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat until light and frothy, about 4 minutes. With mixer on low speed, slowly pour sugar mixture into eggs; continue mixing until combined mixture is room temperature, about 5 minutes.
• In another clean bowl, whip cream to soft peaks; fold into egg mixture with a rubber spatula. Fill 6-ounce ramekins or custard cups halfway, and place frozen chocolate mixture in the center of each. Level with remaining mint parfait mixture. Cover with plastic wrap, and place in freezer until completely set, 5 to 6 hours. Store in freezer up to 1 month.
• To serve, unmold parfaits onto serving plates, and garnish with chocolate sauce and candied mint leaves, if desired.

Steps:

• To prepare the dark chocolate cream, heat 1-inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. Place the 8 ounces semisweet chocolate broken into pieces in the top half of the double boiler. Tightly cover the top with film wrap and allow to heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth. Transfer the melted chocolate to a stainless steel bowl and set aside until needed. Place 2 1/2 cups heavy cream and 2 tablespoons sugar in the well-chilled bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a well-chilled balloon whip. Whisk on high until stiff peaks form, about 1 1/2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Use a hand whisk to combine 1/4 of the whipped cream into the melted chocolate until smooth and completely incorporated. Add the combined whipped cream and chocolate to the remaining whipped cream and use a rubber spatula to fold together.
• Transfer the dark chocolate cream to a stainless steel bowl. Tightly cover the top with film wrap and refrigerate until needed. To prepare the cocoa cream, place 2 cups heavy cream, 1/2 cup sugar, the cocoa and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract in the well-chilled bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a well-chilled balloon whip. Mix on medium until stiff peaks form, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the cocoa cream to a stainless steel bowl. Tightly cover the top with film wrap and refrigerate until needed. To prepare the speckled chocolate cream, place the remaining 2 cups heavy cream, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract in the well-chilled bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a well-chilled balloon whip. Mix on high until stiff peaks form, about 1 1/4 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to fold in the 4 ounces grated chocolate. Transfer the cream to a stainless steel bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before assembling the parfaits.
• To assemble the parfaits, fill a pastry bag (without a tip) with the dark chocolate cream. Pipe an even layer of about 1/2 cup of the cream into each of the brandy snifters. Then fill a clean pastry bag with the cocoa cream and pipe an even layer of it onto the layer of dark chocolate cream. For the final layer of cream, fill a clean pastry bag with the speckled chocolate cream and pipe an even layer of the cream onto the cocoa cream. Refrigerate the parfaits until just a few minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Put the first 5 ingredients into the container of an electric blender.
• Break up one of the chocolate mint patties into pieces and add to the blender.
• Blend until mixture is smooth and creamy.
• Pour mixture into 2 chilled glasses.
• Garnish each with cumbled remaining chocolate mint patty.

Steps:

• Whisk 2 cups milk with the pudding mix for 2 minutes.
• In small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, mint, and remaining milk.
• Fold in whipped topping.
• In dessert glasses, layer pudding and cream cheese mixtures.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350. Grease 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan.
• In large bowl, combine all base ingredients at low speed until crumbly. Press in bottom of prepared pan. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Cool completely.
• Dissolve gelatin in boiling water; cool slightly. In large bowl, combine dissolved gelatin and 2 cups powdered sugar. Add 1/2 cup butter, shortening, peppermint extract and food coloring. beat 1 minute at medium speed or until smooth and creamy. Blend in remaining 2 cups powdered sugar until smooth. Spread filling evenly over cooled base.
• In small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate chips and 3 tb butter, stirring constantly until well blended. Spoon frosting over filling, carefully spreading to cover. Refrigerate until firm, cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.
• Tip. for easier cutting, remove from refrigerator 20 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Chocolate Mousse: Place the gelatine in cold water to soften and set aside; melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, stir until smooth, then set aside to cool slightly. In an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar on a medium-high speed for 5 minutes or until thick and pale. Drain the softened gelatine and place in a pan over a very low heat. When melted, slowly add the liquid gelatine to the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Stir in the melted chocolate, then fold in the whipped cream. Divide the mousse among 8 3/4-cup (185ml) serving glasses. Chill for 30 minutes or until set.
• Mint Mousse: Bring the milk and sugar to the boil in a pan, add the mint, then remove from the heat, cover with a tea towel and allow it to infuse for 15 minutes. Meanwhile soften and melt the gelatine as above, then add to the milk mixture. Strain the mixture, pressing down well the mint leaves. Cool completely, then fold in the whipped cream. Pour into the serving glasses on top of the chocolate mousse layer. Chill for 1-2 hours or until set.
• Chocolate Ganache: Bring the cream to the boil in a pan. Place grated chocolate then pour the hot cream over it and stir until smooth. Allow to cool, then pour the ganache over the mint mousse and chill for a further 1-2 hours. Serve garnished with a fresh mint leaf.

Steps:

• Fold white chocolate chunks into dark chocolate ice cream in large bowl. Cover and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
• Bring 3/4 cup water to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk in cocoa. Add butter. Stir over low heat until mixture is smooth. Add both sugars, corn syrup and salt. Stir over low heat until sugars dissolve, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. (Dark chocolate ice cream and sauce can be made 1 week ahead. Keep ice cream frozen. Cover sauce and refrigerate. Rewarm sauce over low heat.)
• Drizzle some warm chocolate sauce into bottom of 6 parfait glasses or wineglasses. Place 1 scoop mint chip ice cream in each glass. Spoon some chocolate sauce over ice cream. Spoon dark chocolate ice cream, then mint chip ice cream into glasses, spooning some sauce over each layer. Sprinkle dried cherries over. Garnish parfaits with fresh mint.