Cocoa Tassies With Peppermint Frosting Food

PEPPERMINT S'MORE TASSIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Place cookie mix, cracker crumbs, butter and egg in a large bowl; beat until well mixed. Shape into 36 balls; press onto bottoms and up the sides of greased miniature muffin cups., Bake 9-10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 30 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks., Meanwhile, place chocolate chips in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Stir in extract. Let stand 15 minutes or until cooled. Spoon 2 teaspoons chocolate mixture into each cup., Place marshmallow creme in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 50% power 15 seconds or just until softened. Spoon a dollop of marshmallow cream onto each cup; sprinkle with candies.

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH PEPPERMINT FROSTING

Steps:

• Make the cake: Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease an 8-by-8-inch square or 9-inch round light-colored metal baking pan with oil.
• In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar and eggs. Use a whisk or an electric mixer to beat the mixture until foamy and slightly lighter in texture and color, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sour cream, 1/2 cup oil, vanilla and salt, and whisk until combined and smooth, about 1 minute.
• Whisk in the cocoa powder until combined. Add the flour, baking powder and baking soda, and whisk until combined and no streaks of flour remain. Stir the espresso powder into the hot water, then add the mixture to the bowl. Whisk until incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles. Bake until puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan set on a rack for about 45 minutes.
• While the cake bakes, clean the mixing bowl and make the frosting: Add the butter to the bowl and mix on medium-high with an electric mixer until smooth, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Turn the speed to low, and slowly add the confectioners' sugar. Mix until the sugar is moistened, then add 2 teaspoons of the cream, the vanilla extract, 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract and salt. Turn the speed up to medium-high, and whip until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes, adding a bit more cream a teaspoon at a time, if necessary, to make a smooth and light frosting. Taste the frosting, and add a few more drops of peppermint extract if desired. The frosting can be kept at room temperature while the cake finishes baking and cooling.
• Top the cooled cake with an even layer of frosting, then use the tip of a toothpick to dot the frosting with a few small dots of gel food coloring, if using. Use a spoon or offset spatula to swirl the food coloring into the frosting to create candy cane-like stripes - just a few swipes will do the trick. If you mix it in too much, the frosting will turn pink. Top the cake with sprinkles and shaved chocolate, if desired. Store leftover cake loosely covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.

COCOA TASSIES WITH PEPPERMINT FROSTING

Steps:

• Tassies:.
• In a medium bowl, sir together flour, sugar, and cocoa powder.
• Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.
• In a small bowl, combine egg yolk and the cold water.
• Gradually stir egg yolk mixture into flour mixture.
• Gently knead the dough just until a ball forms.
• If necessary, cover dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes or until dough is easy to handle.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Divide dough into 36 pieces.
• Press dough pieces onto bottoms and up sides of 1-3/4-inch muffin cups.
• Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until shells are firm.
• Cool in muffin cups for 5 minutes.
• Remove shells from muffin cups; cool completely.
• Peppermint Filling:.
• In a large bowl, combine butter, marshmallow creme and peppermint extract.
• Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
• Gradually beat in 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar.
• Beat in 1 tablespoon milk.
• Beat in 1 cup powdered sugar.
• Using a wooden spoon, stir in 1 cup powdered sugar.
• If necessary, stir in enough additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to make a filling of piping consistency.
• Using a pastry bag fitted with an open star tip, pipe Peppermint Cream Filling into shells.
• Sprinkle filling with crushed peppermint candies.
• TO STORE: Layer unfilled shells between pieces of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover.
• Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
• Thaw shells, if frozen. Fill as directed in Step 3.