Chocolate and Peppermint

Chocolate and peppermint may be my favorite flavor combination year round, but I can't think of any other flavors that are more Christmas-y.  Here are two of my favorite recipes that combine chocolate and peppermint and are great additions to a holiday baking session.  Erica and I made both of these during our Cookie Marathon last weekend, and they have both been a hit with everyone.

Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies (aka Brad's favorite Christmas cookie)
based on a recipe from the Betty Crocker Cookie Book

Chocolate peppermint cookies

Cookies:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 2 squares unsweetened baking chocolate (1 ounce each), melted
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 tsp salt

Peppermint frosting:

• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 Tbsp milk
• 1 Tbsp light corn syrup
• 1 1/2 tsp peppermint flavoring (or 1/2 tsp peppermint extract)
• Red or green food coloring (optional)

Chocolate drizzle:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 Tbsp light corn syrup
• 6 oz semisweet chocolate chips

Crushed peppermint candy canes or candies (about 1/2 cup)

To make cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F
2. Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy (you can do this by hand if you want to work out one of your arms).
3. Mix in vanilla, egg, and unsweetened chocolate, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
4. Mix in whole wheat pastry flour and salt until combined.
5. Roll tablespoons of the dough into balls and place several inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
6. Flatten with the bottom of a glass that has been greased and dipped in sugar to approximately 1/4-1/8 of an inch.
7. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
8. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet then remove to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Flattening the cookies

To make peppermint frosting:

1. Beat powdered sugar, butter, milk, light corn syrup, and peppermint flavoring or extract with an electric mixer until smooth.
2. Add a few drops of food coloring if using and blend well.

To make chocolate drizzle:

1. Melt butter, light corn syrup, and semisweet chocolate chips in a small sauce pan over very low heat, stirring constantly.

To assemble the cookies:

1. Spread peppermint frosting on the cookies to within about 1/4 inch of the edge of each cookie.
2. Drizzle chocolate mixture over the frosted cookie.
3. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
4. Allow to set for about an hour (if you can wait!)

Makes about 18 cookies.

Delicious!

Notes on Chocolate Peppermint Cookies:

• If you don't have whole wheat pastry flour you can substitute all purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, or a mixture of half apf / half whole wheat flour.
• Organic powdered sugar turns an icky shade of grey when mixed into frosting, so I added a little red food coloring (in retrospect, I wish I would have gone with green to make these cookies even more Christmas-y) to make them look more appetizing.  If you use non-organic powdered sugar, you can leave it white or dye it.
• The frosting on these cookies does not harden, so be sure to store these in a single layer or separated by waxed paper. 

Peppermint Bark

Peppermint bark

• 18 oz dark chocolate (I used 70%)
• 7 oz white chocolate
• 3 tsp peppermint flavoring, divided (or 3/4 tsp peppermint extract, divided)
• 1/4 cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candies

1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or a Silpat mat.
2. Melt dark chocolate and 2 tsp peppermint flavor (or 1/2 tsp peppermint extract) in a double boiler and stir until smooth.
3. Pour dark chocolate mixture onto lined cookie sheet and spread evenly.  Allow to cool at room temperature until set or in refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
4. Melt white chocolate and remaining peppermint flavoring or extract in a double boiler and stir until smooth.
5. Pour white chocolate mixture over dark chocolate and spread evenly.
6. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes and then allow to set at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
7. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

Makes a bunch :)

Pouring the melted dark chocolate

Notes on Peppermint Bark:

• I think using peppermint flavoring results in a better tasting bark than using peppermint extract, but either will work! I've always used extract in the past, but this time I used Simply Organic peppermint flavoring. 
• No double boiler?  No worries - place a bowl over a simmering pan of water.  Just don't let the bowl touch the water.
• If dark chocolate isn't your thing, us whatever kind you like!  I find milk chocolate to be too sweet with the white chocolate, but it would certainly work.
• Packed into a pretty tin or cellophane treat bags tied with ribbon, peppermint bark makes a great gift!

I hope you enjoy these recipes!  I still have a few more holiday baking recipes coming.  I just need to keep practicing food photography, so I can provide you with better pictures!