Mint Truffles Food

MINT CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Bring the cream just to the boil in a pan. Turn off the heat and stir in the chocolate. Stir until melted, then add the peppermint. Cool, then chill until the mixture is solid, about 2-3 hrs.
• Scoop out teaspoons of the mixture and roll into small walnut-size balls with your hands, then roll in icing sugar. They will keep chilled for 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

MINT JULEP TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Put the chopped semisweet and milk chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the heavy cream and butter to a simmer in a small saucepan. Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate, completely covering it, and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir with a spatula until the chocolate is completely melted, smooth and glossy. (If the chocolate doesn't melt completely, microwave the mixture on high in 15-second increments, stirring in between, until fully melted.) Fold in the bourbon and peppermint extract until they are incorporated. The mixture will look separated at first, but keep stirring until it is uniform.
• Set the bowl over a larger bowl of ice water, and let the mixture chill for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has thickened a bit and become homogeneous. Pour the mixture into a shallow 2-quart baking dish or 9-inch pie plate. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, process the sugar and mint in a food processor for 1 minute until the mint is finely chopped and dispersed, scraping down the bowl with a spatula halfway through. (The mint sugar can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.)
• Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of the chocolate mixture, and roll them between gloved hands to shape them, working quickly, as the balls melt fast. Put them on a plate or rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Put the mint sugar in a shallow dish, and drop the balls in a few at a time, shaking the dish to coat them on all sides; transfer the truffles to a platter, shaking off the excess, and refrigerate until you are ready to serve them. (Once the truffles have been coated, they must be served that day. Uncoated, they can be stored overnight in the refrigerated in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap, then coated the day they're served.)

EASY MINT CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a glass 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray.
• Combine brownie mix, oil, water, and eggs in a large bowl. Stir 50 strokes with a spoon. Spread into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 28 to 31 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Break up warm brownies into a large bowl. Roughly chop mint thins and add to the bowl; stir until well combined, allowing the brownies' heat to slightly melt the chocolate.
• Form mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls, pressing firmly so they hold together. Chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
• Combine chocolate chips and oil in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each one, until melted and smooth.
• Dip each brownie ball into the melted chocolate and turn with a fork to coat. Lift and allow excess chocolate to drip off. Place dipped truffles onto a tray lined with waxed or parchment paper. Top with sprinkles, if desired.
• Refrigerate for 5 minutes (or let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes) until chocolate has set.

FRESH MINT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Coarsely chop the 1/3 cup of mint leaves. Place the heavy cream in a small saucepan, and bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat. Once it's simmering, remove the cream from the heat and add the chopped mint leaves, then cover the pot with a lid. Allow the mint to steep in the cream for 15 minutes. Watch the time carefully, as you don't want the mint flavor to be too overpowering.
• While you are waiting for the cream to infuse, place the chopped chocolate in a bowl with the room temperature butter.
• After 15 minutes, remove the lid from the pan and heat the cream again until it is just under the boiling point. Pour the hot cream through a strainer into the chopped chocolate. Discard the strained mint leaves.
• Whisk together the hot cream, chocolate, and butter until the chocolate is melted and you're left with a smooth, shiny mixture. This is your ganache. Press a layer of cling wrap on top of the chocolate and refrigerate it until it is firm enough to scoop 2 to 3 hours.
• Once the ganache is firm, dust your palms lightly with cocoa powder and use a small candy scoop or a teaspoon to roll the ganache into small balls. Re-apply the cocoa powder as needed to keep the truffles from sticking to your hands.
• Melt the chocolate coating in the microwave, stirring after every 30 seconds to prevent overheating. Use a fork or dipping tools to dip a truffle in the chocolate, tapping it against the lip of the bowl to remove excess chocolate before setting it on a foil-covered baking sheet.
• While the chocolate is still wet, press a small mint leaf into the top of each truffle. If you would like the truffles to keep for several days, you should either candy the mint leaves in advance (using the method in this candied flowers recipe) or use another type of decoration since untreated mint leaves will wilt after about a day.
• After all the truffles have been dipped, refrigerate the tray to set the chocolate, for about 20 minutes. Fresh Mint Truffles can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. For best taste and texture, bring them to room temperature before serving.

MINT TRUFFLE BROWNIES

Steps:

• For the brownie layer: Grease the sides and bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan and line with 2 pieces of parchment to overhang the edges. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the butter and mint in a medium saucepan and melt the butter over low heat. Remove from the heat and let sit 10 minutes to infuse. Remove and discard the mint. Rewarm the butter over low heat. Remove from the heat, then add the chocolate and let sit until almost melted; stir until smooth. Whisk in the eggs until smooth. Whisk in the cocoa, flour and salt until smooth. Whisk in the schnapps. Pour into the prepared baking pan and bake until the center is just set (a tester will not come out completely clean), 28 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely.
• For the mint layer: Beat the butter in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed until light, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners' sugar and salt and mix on low to combine. Add the schnapps and beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the food coloring, a little at a time, to get a pale green color. Spread the mint layer over the brownies and refrigerate until almost set, about 15 minutes.
• For the truffle layer: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in the chocolate and remove from the heat; let sit until the chocolate is almost melted, then stir until smooth. Let cool slightly, 5 to 10 minutes, then spread over the mint layer. Top with the sprinkles, if using. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Cut into squares to serve.

CHOCOLATE MINT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the chocolate, butter, cream and schnapps and heat over moderately-low heat, stirring, until it is smooth.
• Transfer to a small bowl and chill, covered, for 2 hours, or until firm.
• In a small bowl, sift together cocoa and icing sugar and combine well.
• Put bowl of truffle mixture in a bowl of ice and cold water.
• Form the mixture into 1 inch balls, coating fingers with cocoa mixture to keep truffle from sticking, and roll balls in cocoa mixture.
• Chill on a baking sheet lined with wax paper for atleast 1 hour, or until firm.
• Serve in a dish garnished with fresh mint leaves.
• (the truffles keep in an airtight container, chilled, for up to 2 weeks).

EASY MINT CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Line a 15x10x1-in. pan with foil. Grease the foil with 1 tablespoon butter; set aside. , In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, milk and remaining butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer reads 234° (soft-ball stage). Remove from the heat; stir in chips and peppermint extract until chocolate is melted. Stir in marshmallow creme and vanilla until smooth. Spread into prepared pan., Refrigerate, uncovered, for 3 hours or until firm. Lift out of pan; cut into 1-1/2-in. squares. Roll each into a ball. Roll truffles in cocoa, nuts or sprinkles. Refrigerate in an airtight container.

FRESH MINT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Line a 13-by-9 1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap; set aside.
• In a heatproof bowl, set over (but not touching) simmering water, melt 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate and milk chocolate together until it reaches 120 degrees.
• Place cream in a small saucepan over medium heat; heat until cream just comes to a boil. Meanwhile, chop mint leaves and transfer to a medium stainless steel bowl. Pour cream over mint and let steep 10 minutes. Strain cream mixture through 4 layers of cheesecloth.
• Remove chocolate mixture from heat and add to 1 1/3 cups cream mixture, reserving any remaining cream for another use. Using a heatproof spatula, mix together, starting from the center of the saucepan and working your way to the outer edges until mixture is emulsified. Add butter and mix with an immersion blender until well combined. Pour mixture into prepared baking sheet, evenly spreading mixture with an offset spatula; cover with plastic wrap, pressing down gently on chocolate mixture to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, and up to overnight.
• Line the back of another 13-by-9 1/2-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Uncover chocolate and invert onto parchment paper; remove second piece of plastic wrap. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, and a steel ruler as a guide, cut chocolate into 1-inch squares.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Roll each square of chocolate between your hands to form a smooth ball. Transfer chocolate balls to baking sheet; refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Melt remaining 16 ounces bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set over (but not touching) simmering water. Place cocoa powder in a shallow dish. Place some of the melted chocolate in the palm of your hand and roll a chocolate ball in the melted chocolate to coat, then roll in cocoa powder. Repeat process with remaining chocolate balls. Transfer truffles to an airtight container, stacking truffles no more than 2 to 3 inches high, and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Bring truffles to room temperature just before serving.