French Peppermint Cookies With Chocolate Ganache Food

FRENCH PEPPERMINT COOKIES WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Move rack to the bottom of oven and preheat oven to 175 degrees F (80 degrees C). Line baking sheets with aluminum foil.
• Whisk egg whites and 1/4 cup white sugar in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water until smooth. Whisk cream of tartar and peppermint extract into egg mixture and beat until foamy. Gradually whisk confectioners' sugar into mixture, beating until egg white meringue holds stiff peaks.
• Scoop about 1 tablespoon of meringue per cookie and gently transfer to the prepared baking sheets; use spoon to shape the meringue cookies into football shape with 2 gently pointed ends.
• Bake cookies on bottom rack of the preheated oven until dry on the outside but still slightly soft in the centers, about 1 1/2 hours. Let cool completely before removing from baking sheets.
• Melt chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until melted, stirring until smooth. Gradually mix cream into chocolate until mixture is thick but not pasty; stir 1 teaspoon white sugar into chocolate ganache until sugar has dissolved. Dip cookies in ganache. Place dipped cookies atop a piece of parchment paper and sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy. Let cookies set; refrigerate leftovers.

PEPPERMINT-CHOCOLATE SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, knead together the cookie dough and 1/4 cup flour until smooth. Lightly flour a work surface. Roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut out circles from the dough. Knead together any scraps of dough and roll out again. Continue to cut out pastry circles until there are 24 pieces in total. Place the dough circles on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are slightly golden around the edges, about 10 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Reserve 1 parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
• Combine 1 cup of chocolate chips and the cream in a small bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the peppermint extract and refrigerate the mixture for 1 hour. Using a 1/2-ounce cookie scoop or a tablespoon measure, place the chocolate mixture in the center of the flat side of 12 of the cookies. Place the remaining cookies on top and gently squeeze to distribute the filling evenly. Place on a baking sheet and freeze until the filling has set, about 25 minutes.
• Combine the remaining chocolate chips and the vegetable oil in a small bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Dip the top of each cookie in the melted chocolate and return to the baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops with crushed candy canes or peppermint candies. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store in an airtight plastic container.

MINT-CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cream to a simmer.
• Place chocolate in a medium bowl; set aside. Pour cream over chocolate and let melt for 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk together until chocolate is fully melted. Add butter, extract, and salt, whisking after each addition to incorporate.
• Once butter is fully incorporated, allow ganache to stand until slightly thickened and glossy.

CHOCOLATE GENOISE WITH CHOCOLATE-PEPPERMINT GANACHE

Steps:

• Make syrup:
• Stir water and sugar in small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil. Remove from heat. Stir in creme de cacao and vanilla. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover; chill.)
• Make genoise:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides; line bottom with parchment paper. Cover cake rack with paper towel; spray paper towel with nonstick spray.
• Sift flour, cocoa powder and baking soda into small bowl 3 times. Combine eggs, egg yolk, sugar and salt in large stainless steel bowl. {Step One} Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not let bottom of bowl touch water). Whisk until mixture is just warm to touch (thermometer will register 110°F), about 2 minutes. Remove mixture from over water. {Step Two} Using electric mixer, beat until mixture triples in volume and falls in heavy ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Sift flour mixture over in 3 additions; fold gently to incorporate each time. Drizzle butter over and fold in (do not overmix or batter will deflate). Transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cut around pan sides; release sides. Turn cake out onto towel-covered rack; peel off parchment. Cool. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap; store at room temperature.)
• Make ganache:
• Place chocolate in large bowl. Bring cream to boil in small saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate. {Step Three} Add corn syrup and extracts; whisk until smooth. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
• Transfer 3 cups ganache to medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until very thick and light colored, about 12 minutes.
• Using long serrated knife, cut genoise horizontally into 3 layers. Place 1 cake layer on cardboard round or pan bottom. Brush cake with 3 tablespoons syrup. Spread 1/3 of whipped ganache over. Repeat 2 more times with remaining cake layers, syrup and whipped ganache. Spread 1 cup unwhipped ganache thinly over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate cake until coating sets, about 10 minutes.
• If necessary, warm remaining un-whipped ganache until just pourable. Place cake on rack set over sheet of foil. Pour ganache over cake as glaze, spreading to cover top and sides smoothly. Chill until glaze begins to set, about 30 minutes. Place cake on platter. Press chocolate curls onto sides. Chill at least 2 hours.

FRENCH PEPPERMINT COOKIES WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Move rack to the bottom of oven and preheat oven to 175 degrees F (80 degrees C). Line baking sheets with aluminum foil.
• Whisk egg whites and 1/4 cup white sugar in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water until smooth. Whisk cream of tartar and peppermint extract into egg mixture and beat until foamy. Gradually whisk confectioners' sugar into mixture, beating until egg white meringue holds stiff peaks.
• Scoop about 1 tablespoon of meringue per cookie and gently transfer to the prepared baking sheets; use spoon to shape the meringue cookies into football shape with 2 gently pointed ends.
• Bake cookies on bottom rack of the preheated oven until dry on the outside but still slightly soft in the centers, about 1 1/2 hours. Let cool completely before removing from baking sheets.
• Melt chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until melted, stirring until smooth. Gradually mix cream into chocolate until mixture is thick but not pasty; stir 1 teaspoon white sugar into chocolate ganache until sugar has dissolved. Dip cookies in ganache. Place dipped cookies atop a piece of parchment paper and sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy. Let cookies set; refrigerate leftovers.