Peppermint and Chocolate

I recently became an Arbonne Independent Consultant and wanted to spoil the guests at my 2 launch parties.  I had decided to throw a "Pampermint" peppermint party, so I could make some themed desserts.  Searched pinterest and found 2 recipes I just HAD to try. Home made peppermint patties (which became peppermint patty bark) and chocolate peppermint cookies.

Chocolate peppermint cookies on the left, peppermint patty bark on the right.

What you will need for the peppermint patties;
1 can sweetened condensed milk
5 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon peppermint extract
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons shortening

Mix condensed milk, 2 cups of powdered sugar and peppermint extract on medium speed. Add more powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until dough is stiff. (if it is not thick enough, the patties will not set) Roll dough into 3/4" balls, place on parchment paper then flatten. Place flattened dough in freezer for up to 30 minutes.  While the dough is setting, start warming chocolate chips and shortening. (place chocolate and shortening in smaller pot on top of a large pot which has 1/2" water. Use low heat.) Place chilled patty on fork and dip in chocolate until covered, then place on parchment paper. Keep covered patties in fridge for easy storage.

Now, for those of you who don't make the dough stiff enough like me...My modification was making peppermint patty bark.  I took the squishy patties placed them all in the melted chocolate, stirred the mixture a handful of times. Placed a piece of parchment paper in a 9x13 pan, poured the mixture in and put it in the freezer for an hour. It wasn't as pretty as the cookies would have been, but the lack of stirring meant that you still managed to get the peppermint patties in throughout the melted chocolate. Yummmy!

Original recipe can be found here

The second recipe was the chocolate peppermint cookies.

What you will need;
1 cup flour, plus more for the countertop
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
8 large candy canes, or 30 peppermint candies, crushed
2 pounds of white chocolate

Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt into one bowl. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and egg yolk, beating well after each addition. Mix in peppermint extract, and slowly add dry mixture. Split dough into 2 separate bags and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325F. Roll out one ball of dough to 1/8" thickness. Cut into 2" circles (I used a small mouthed glass), and place 1" apart on parchment paper lined cookie sheets. (they do not get thicker or wider upon baking). Roll and cut scraps one. Repeat with remaining disk.  Bake for approximately 12 mins, or until cookies are dry to the touch. Let them cool.

Begin to melt chocolate. Crush peppermint candies. (I used a blender) Dunk cookies in melted chocolate, place on parchment paper and sprinkle peppermint candy on top. Place cookies in fridge to set chocolate.

If you are short on time, one modification that I have not tried, but believe would work quite well is; buy chocolate wafers and add the peppermint extract to the white chocolate. (I have not seen chocolate wafer that are peppermint flavoured, but they are the same consistency of the cookies made in this recipe)

Original recipe found here

Chocotzel cookies

Just found my go to chocolate chip cookie recipe and added an extra ingredient..  I've been on board with the sweet and salty phase that has taken over the baking world, so to add the salty to this sweet recipe I went with pretzel pieces.  I sure am happy with my decision.  I think the only way it could get better is if I replaced half of the chocolate chips with butterscotch chips, which I will definitely be trying next time.  Wonder what I will call those... Chopretscotch, Chobutzel..  Gonna have to work on the name..

For this recipe you will need;

3/4 cup butter (softened)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pretzel pieces (pretzels broken up)
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars.  Add vanilla and egg, blend mixture.  In a separate bowl combine; flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.  Add dry mix to wet ingredients.  Fold in pretzels and chocolate chips.  Refrigerate for a minimum of one hour.  Heat oven to 350 F and prepare cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Make one inch round balls of cookie dough, place 1.5-2" apart and slightly flatten. (the cookies in this recipe do not widen in size, but they fluff upward)  Cook for 8-10 minutes.  These cookies are done before they brown on top.  Let cool, then try to keep little paws (and big paws) off of them!

For original chocolate chip recipe go here

Home made Skor

Well I had one of my "I need chocolate" attacks this morning, and went to my old trusty recipe of home made skor.  My step mom gave me this recipe years ago, and I have had a love hate relationship with it since.

What you will need;

1 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of butter
1 pack of salted crackers (aka saltines)
1 cup of chocolate chips
1 cup of walnuts (optional)




Pre heat oven to 325 F. Place a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Fill bottom of cookie sheet with salted crackers.

Heat butter and brown sugar until they are blended, do not bring to a boil.  Pour butter and sugar mixture onto salted crackers, spread mixture to cover all crackers.

Place in oven until mixture just begins to boil.  Remove from oven.  Sprinkle on chocolate chips and walnuts (had a craving for not only sweet and salty, but crunchy too..), put back in oven until chocolate gets soft.

Remove from oven.  Use spatula to smooth chocolate chips.  Let cool for 10 mins.  Place in freezer for a minimum 2 hours. Remove from freezer, break into pieces and store in a proper container. (if they happen to make it to the container that is...)