Chocalte Peppermint Treat

Photo Credit: somekitchenstories

Ingredients: 

• 2½ Cups of confectioners-powdered sugar (less than 1 pound), divided
• 1½ tablespoon of light corn syrup
• 1½ tablespoon of water (more if needed)
• ½ teaspoon of pure peppermint extract
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable shortening
• 10 ounces of 70% cacao bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions:

1. Ready an electric mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment. Beat 2¼ cups of powdered sugar with corn syrup, water, peppermint extract, shortening and a pinch of salt at medium speed until just combined. Mixture will be crumbly.
    
2. Sprinkle powdered sugar on work surface and knead mixture with remaining ¼ cup of powdered sugar until smooth. Add a tablespoon or so of water as you knead if mixture doesn’t come together after a minute or so. The finished dough will be smooth and compliant.
    
3. Roll out between sheets of parchment paper on a large baking sheet into a 7 to 8 inch round that is less than ¼ of an inch thick. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
    
4. Remove top sheet of paper and sprinkle round with powdered sugar. Replace top sheet and flip round over to repeat sprinkling on other side.
    
5. With a 1 inch cookie cutter, cut as many rounds as possible and transfer candies to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
    
6. Freeze candies until firm, at least 10 minutes.
    
7. Melt three-fourths of chocolate in a metal bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water.
    
8. Remove bowl from pan and add remaining chocolate. Stir until smooth. Cool until candy thermometer registers 80°F.
    
9. Return water in pan to boil and remove from heat. Set bowl of cooled chocolate over pan and reheat, stirring, until candy thermometer registers 88 to 91°F. Remove bowl from pan. (I just kept the hot saucepan and bowl on a cloth towel as I worked and the chocolate stayed warm enough to work with.)
    
10. Balance one of the pattie rounds on a form and submerge in melted chocolate, let the excess drip off. Return pattie to sheet. To make decorative lines on top, gently press bottom of fork briefly on top of the patty and then lift straight up.
     
11. Let patties stand until chocolate sets, about 1 hour.

Note: Makes 20 to 30 Candy's



Original Recipe: somekitchenstories