Chocolate Peppermint Creams Recipes

Steps:

• Spray 15x10x1-inch pan with cooking spray. Reserve 1/2 cup of the semisweet chocolate chips. In 2-quart saucepan, heat remaining semisweet chocolate chips, the dark chocolate chips and 1/3 cup cream over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until melted. Pour into pan; spread evenly. Refrigerate.
• Meanwhile, in 3-quart saucepan, heat butter, pudding mix and 1/2 cup cream to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in peppermint extract, vanilla and powdered sugar, beating well, until mixture is smooth. Spread evenly over cooled chocolate layer; freeze until firm, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Place reserved 1/2 cup chocolate chips in small resealable freezer plastic bag. Microwave on High 45 to 55 seconds, turning bag over after 30 seconds. Squeeze bag until chips are melted and smooth. Cut small tip off one corner of bag, and drizzle over top. Immediately sprinkle with chopped candy. Cut into 15 rows by 5 rows.

Steps:

• Put the confectioners' sugar, condensed milk and peppermint extract in a medium bowl and stir together with a fork. Once combined, form a smooth, soft dough with your hands.
• Roll out the dough on a surface dusted with confectioners' sugar until it is about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out different shapes with 1 1/2-inch cookie cutters, rerolling the mixture until it is used up. Keep any mixture you are not working with covered with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
• Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water or put the chocolate in a bowl and microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring between each one. Dip the peppermint creams into the melted chocolate until they are half covered, then let them cool and set on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• If you are storing the creams, pop them in an airtight container spaced apart, dusted with confectioners' sugar and separated between layers of parchment to keep them from sticking together. They can be stored for 2 to 3 days at room temperature.

Steps:

• Stir 2 tablespoons milk, cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract together in a mug until well blended.
• Microwave 3/4 cup milk on high for 2 1/2 minutes in a microwave-safe mug. Pour the hot milk over the cocoa mixture; stir with candy cane.

Steps:

• Sieve the icing sugar into a large bowl. Add a little of the egg white and a few drops of the peppermint essence and mix really well. You want the mixture to come together as a soft dough, so keep adding a little egg white until this starts to happen (you might not need to use all of it). Taste the mixture and add more peppermint essence if desired.
• Divide the mixture into 20 small balls, then flatten them gently with your fingertips into discs.
• Place baking parchment on a large board or tray and space out the discs. Meanwhile, tip the chocolate into a microwavable bowl and heat in 30 second intervals in the microwave until melted, stirring after each blast. Once melted, leave the chocolate to cool for 5-10 mins then carefully dip the peppermint creams in the melted chocolate until they are half coated. Lay them back on the baking parchment to set for 3-4 hours or overnight.

Steps:

• Generously grease a 9-inch pie plate; set aside.
• For crust: In a medium bowl, combine crushed chocolate cookies and melted butter.
• Press mixture onto the bottom and up the side of the prepared pie plate. Cover and chill for at least 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare pudding mix according to package directions for traditional pudding pie, using the 1 1/2 cups milk.
• Spread filling in the chilled crust.
• Cover and chill for 8 to 24 hours.
• Before serving, in a small bowl, combine whipping cream, powdered sugar, and peppermint extract.
• Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).
• Spread whipped cream over top of pie.
• Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies.
• Makes 8 servings.

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat milk over medium heat until steaming. Add chocolate; whisk until smooth. Stir in peppermint extract. , In a large bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Fold in the crushed candies. Ladle hot chocolate into mugs; dollop with whipped cream. Sprinkle with additional candies if desired.

Steps:

• Pie Crust
• Place a piece of parchment onto your work surface and flour it very sparsely.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and the salt.
• Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture looks like coarse meal.
• Sprinkle the teaspoon of vinegar and two tablespoons of water over the mixture
• Mix lightly and quickly with a wooden spoon, adding the remaining tablespoons of water as needed until dough just holds together
• Place the dough onto the prepared piece of parchment. Cover with an additional piece of parchment and with a rolling pin starting at the center of the dough, roll to the edge, but not over it
• Continue to roll out from the center, but never back to it every 45 degrees
• Throughout the process it will be necessary to flour the dough at various times. Gently pull back the top layer of parchment, and very lightly flour the dough. Replace the parchment and carefully turn the dough over, doing the same to the other side
• Continue rolling and flouring lightly until the dough is an even round circle about 3 inches larger than the rim of the 9-inch pie plate
• To transfer the dough to the pie plate, gently remove the top layer of parchment. Lightly flour the rolling pin and place it at one edge of the circle. Using the bottom layer of parchment, bring the edge of the dough up over the rolling pin and very lightly roll the pin to the other side of the dough. Move the pie plate under the rolling pin and gently roll the dough out over it. Carefully, fit the dough into the plate and trim any excess, leaving one inch over the rim. Fold the dough under so that it is even with the rim and crimp.
• Line the inside with a circle of parchment, add uncooked beans or rice to about 2/3 full and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake for 20 minutes. Gently lift the parchment and beans out of the plate and prick the entire crust with a fork. Brush the crust with the egg wash and return to the oven to bake for an additional 15 - 20 minutes until completely golden.
• Filling
• In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch, sugar, cocoa powder and salt
• Combine the heavy cream and milk in a large measuring cup. Slowly pour into the saucepan while whisking so that no lumps are formed
• Whisk in the egg yolks
• Heat over medium until just boiling and mixture thickens
• Remove from heat and whisk in the chocolate, McCormick Pure Peppermint Extract, and butter until everything is melted and well combined
• Pour into the baked pie crust. Cover the filling with a piece of plastic wrap and chill for 4 hours
• Stabilized Whipped Cream
• In a mixing bowl, beat the confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, McCormick Pure Vanilla and McCormick Pure Peppermint Extracts
• Gradually add the heavy cream and beat until stiff peaks are formed, scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl as needed
• Pipe onto the pie or spread on the top to garnish
• Add the crushed candy canes as a final touch