Mint Meltaways Food

PEPPERMINT MELTAWAYS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in extract. In another bowl, whisk flour and cornstarch; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Refrigerate, covered, 30 minutes or until firm enough to handle., Preheat oven to 350°. Shape dough into 1-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a small bowl, beat butter until creamy. Beat in milk, extract and, if desired, food coloring. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread over cookies; sprinkle with crushed candies. Store in an airtight container.

MINT MELTAWAYS

Steps:

• With electric mixer cream butter till light and fluffy.
• Add mints; mix well.
• Add flour; blend well at low speed.
• Cover and chill for 1 hour.
• On waxed paper, pat chilled dough to a 9-inch square.
• Sprinkle dough with sugar.
• Cut into 1-1/2" squares.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Using small cookie cuter or floured thimble, lightly press a design on the surface of each cookie.
• Bake at 325 for 15-18 minutes, or until pale golden brown.
• Do not overbake.
• Cool on cookie sheet 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
• Store tightly covered.

PEPPERMINT MELTAWAYS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, combine 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar and the butter and mix until light and fluffy. Add the peppermint extract and mix to combine. Next, slowly add the flour and salt, mixing until just combined.
• In a separate mixing bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the peppermint candies.
• Roll the dough into twenty-four 1 1/2-inch balls. Insert 1 chocolate morsel into each ball and re-roll to ensure that the cookie dough encases the chocolate. Next, transfer to the bowl with the powdered sugar and crushed candies rolling each to coat.
• Place the balls on an ungreased baking sheet, spacing them about 1-inch apart. Bake until they start to turn golden brown on the bottom, about 20 minutes. Remove and transfer to wire cooling rack. Cool until they are just cool enough to handle, 5 minutes. Return the cookies to the bowl with the powdered sugar and crushed candies and toss gently until each cookie is coated.
• Store in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE MINT MELTAWAYS

Steps:

• COOKIES:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt over hot (not boiling) water, 1 cup of mint chocolate chips; stir until smooth.
• Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine butter, confectioners' sugar, and egg yolk.
• Beat until creamy.
• Add melted chips and flour; beat until well blended.
• Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake at 350 degrees F. for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Allow to stand for 3 minutes before removing from cookie sheets.
• Cool completely on wire racks.
• GLAZE:
• Combine over hot (not boiling) water the remaining 1/2 cup of mint-chocolate chips and vegetable shortening.
• Stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth.
• Drizzle each cookie with 1/2 t of the glaze; sprinkle with almonds.
• Chill until set.
• Stor in airtight container in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE MINT MELTAWAYS

Steps:

• For cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F Butter 2 heavy large cookie sheets. Using electric mixer, cream butter and extracts in medium bowl until light. Beat in sugar. Beat in half of flour. Stir in remaining flour. Roll the dough into small balls and flatten them slighty. Bake until golden brown on edges, about 12 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and cool.
• For ganache: Bring cream and butter to simmer in heavy small saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate and stir until smooth. Mix in extract. Refrigerate just until firm enough to spread, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• Line 2 cookie sheets with foil. Using small metal icing spatula, spread 1 teaspoon ganache over flat side 1 cookie. Arrange ganache side up on prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ganache is firm, about 30 minutes.
• For coating: Melt bittersweet chocolate and vegetable shortening in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from over water.
• Grasp cookie on sides and dip ganache side into bittersweet chocolate; shake cookie to remove excess chocolate. Place cookie on same sheet, chocolate side down. Repeat with remaining cookies. Chill until chocolate sets, 30 minutes. Remove cookies from foil.
• (Can be prepared 2 weeks ahead. Refrigerate in single layers in airtight containers. Let stand 10 minutes at room temperature before serving.).

FUDGE MELTAWAYS

Steps:

• Melt 1/2 c butter and 1 oz chocolate in saucepan. Blend sugar, 1 t vanilla, egg, crumbs, coconut and nuts into butter-chocolate mixture. Mix well and press into ungreased 9'x9"x 1 3/4" or 11 1/2" x7 1/2" x 1 1/2"baking dish. Refrigerate.
• Mix 1/4 c butter, milk, confectioners sugar and 1 t vanilla. Spread over crumb mixture. Chill.
• Melt 1 1/2 oz chocolate and spread over chilled filling. Chill. Cut before firm.