Peppermint Patties

This weekend we got a whopping 6 inches of snow! I recognize that for most places that's not a lot, but here in Chapel Hill just seeing snow is a big deal. Well, with all of the snow and everyone being snowed inside I figured the perfect thing to do was bake. This became a problem when I realized I had used the last of the eggs for french toast just hours before. I started scanning recipes seeing which might work but everything that caught my eye required eggs (this could be because, as always, I was craving chocolate in cake or cookie form). But then I saw a peppermint pattie recipe I had bookmarked awhile back and realized I had all of the ingredients. I felt like peppermint patties were also a perfect treat for a cold snowy day so I was quite happy to have found this recipe again. The mints themselves are extremely easy to make and coat in chocolate. Although my heart lies with York's, these are cheaper and more impressive. I'm going to try to brave the grocery store today and stock back up on my eggs and chocolate, but I'm glad I was forced to try something new yesterday. I added a bit more water and corn syrup to get the mints to what I thought was a better consistency but because I just eyed it I will post the recipe as I found it and leave that part to your discretion. I also didn't temper the chocolate, just melted it, and I used a shot glass to cut out the mints at the suggestion of the Sweet Cheeks blog. Worked like a charm.

Peppermint Patties
Recipe from Sweet Cheeks
(Originally from Gourmet magazine)
Yield: 3-4 dozen

2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
1 T shortening
10 ounces 70%-cacao bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Make filling:
Beat 2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar with corn syrup, water, peppermint extract, shortening, and a pinch of salt using an electric mixer (with paddle attachment if using a stand mixer) at medium speed until just combined. Knead on a work surface dusted with remaining 1/4 cup confectioners sugar until smooth. Roll out between sheets of parchment paper on a large baking sheet into a 7- to 8-inch round (less than 1/4 inch thick). Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Remove top sheet of paper and sprinkle round with confectioners sugar. Replace top sheet, then flip round over and repeat sprinkling on other side.

Cut out as many rounds as possible with cutter, transferring to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until firm, at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, gather scraps, reroll, and freeze, then cut out more rounds, freezing them.

Temper chocolate and coat filling:
Melt three fourths of chocolate in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Remove bowl from pan and add remaining chocolate, stirring until smooth. Cool until thermometer inserted at least 1/2 inch into chocolate registers 80°F.

Return water in pan to a boil and remove from heat. Set bowl with cooled chocolate over pan and reheat, stirring, until thermometer registers 88 to 91°F. Remove bowl from pan.

Balance 1 peppermint round on a fork and submerge in melted chocolate, letting excess drip off and scraping back of fork against rim of bowl if necessary, then return patty to sheet (to make decorative ridges on pattie, immediately set bottom of fork briefly on top of patty, then lift fork straight up). Coat remaining rounds, rewarming chocolate to 88 to 91°F as necessary. Let patties stand until chocolate is set, about 1 hour.