Peppermint Candy Food

PEPPERMINT CANDY

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, melt chocolate chips with 3/4 cup condensed milk over low heat, stirring occasionally. Line an 8-in. square dish with waxed paper; butter the paper. , Spread half of melted chocolate mixture into pan; chill for 5-10 minutes (let remaining melted chocolate mixture stand at room temperature). , In another saucepan, melt white baking chips. Stir in remaining condensed milk until smooth. Remove from the heat; add extract and food coloring. Refrigerate until set. Spread over chocolate layer; spread with reserved chocolate mixture. Refrigerate until set. Cut into 1-in. pieces.

PEPPERMINT HARD CANDY

Steps:

• Line a 13-in. x 9-in. pan with foil. Grease the foil with 1 tablespoon butter; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cover and cook for 3 minutes to dissolve sugar crystals. Uncover; cook over medium-high heat, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 300° (hard-crack stage)., Remove from the heat; stir in extracts and food coloring. Pour into prepared pan. Cool; break into pieces. Store in airtight containers.

PEPPERMINT CANDY

Steps:

• Beat cream cheese, butter, corn syrup and extract in large mixing bowl at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended.
• Gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar; mix well.
• Divide mixture into thirds. Knead a few drops green food coloring into one third; repeat with red food coloring and the second third. Leave the last third white.
• Wrap each third in plastic wrap.
• Working with one color mixture at a time, shape into 3/4-inch balls.
• Place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Flatten each ball with bottom of glass that has been lightly dipped in confectioner's sugar.
• Repeat with remaining mixtures.
• Decorating with icing or melted chocolate.
• Chill.

ALMOST-FAMOUS PEPPERMINT BARK

Steps:

• Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil, shiny-side up; smooth out any wrinkles. Heat 1 inch of water in a saucepan over low heat until steaming.
• Put all but 3/4 cup of the semisweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over the saucepan of steaming water (do not let the bowl touch the water) and stir until one-third of the chocolate is melted. Remove the bowl from the saucepan; keep the steaming water over low heat. Gradually stir the reserved 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate into the bowl, a few pieces at a time, until all of the chocolate is melted. Return the bowl to the saucepan, 5 to 10 seconds at a time, to help melt the chocolate, if needed. Do not rush this step: It may take up to 10 minutes to melt the chocolate.
• Wipe off any moisture from the bottom of the bowl. Stir 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract into the chocolate, then quickly pour into the prepared baking dish and spread in an even layer. Firmly tap the dish against the counter to remove any air bubbles. Set aside at room temperature until almost set, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put all but 1 cup of the white chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and repeat the melting process over the steaming water; dry off the bottom of the bowl. Stir in the remaining 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract; pour over the semisweet chocolate and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle immediately with the crushed candy canes, gently pressing them into the white chocolate. Set aside at room temperature until firm, about 1 hour. Lift the bark out of the pan using the foil and break it into pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

PEPPERMINT CANDY DOUBLE-CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Steps:

• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg and beat to combine.
• Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
• Scoop slightly mounded tablespoons of the dough and roll into balls. Arrange about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Sprinkle and press some of the crushed peppermint candies on top of each mound of chilled dough. Bake until the cookies are set and golden on the bottom, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

QUICK AND EASY PEPPERMINT FUDGE

Steps:

• Line an 8-by-8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray.
• In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk and stir until melted and smooth. Pour into the prepared baking pan and spread to even out the surface. Sprinkle on the crushed candies. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Lift the foil out of the pan and peel off the fudge. Cut into small squares.

EASY PEPPERMINT CANDY CANES

Steps:

• Blend together corn syrup, sugar, water, and cream of tartar.
• Stir, dissolving the sugar.
• Without stirring, cook until the hard ball stage (265°F).
• Remove from burner; add peppermint oil, blend well.
• Divide into 2 porions.
• In one half, add red coloring.
• Pour over greased platters.
• Let cool.
• When cool enough to touch, pull each apart seperatly.
• Form into ropes and twist red with white candy mixtures.
• Cut into desired lengths and shapes.

HOMEMADE PEPPERMINT CANDY CANES

Steps:

• Combine the sugar, water, syrup and cream of tartar in a sauce pan and heat till the sugar has dissolved.
• Divide mixture into 2 saucepans, bring to a boil (do not stir the mixtures in both pots) until the candy thermometer reads 280 degrees F.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint into each pot and add the red food coloring into one pot, leaving the other pot plain.
• Oil an enamel or marble surface or slab.
• Place mixture from one pot and stretch it like taffy, pulling and forming the mixture into a rope.
• Set aside and continue with other pot doing the same thing.
• Take both red and white ropes and twist them around each other again and again.
• Cut into desired sizes and form into candy cane shapes.
• Oil the surface lightly again and place candy canes and allow them to harden.
• Have fun making these!

PEPPERMINT CANDY CANE BARK

Steps:

• Melt white chocolate either in a double boiler or in a bowl over a pot of boiling water.
• Stir in crushed candy cane and peppermint flavoring into melted white chocolate.
• Line a 11x17" baking pan with wax paper.
• Pour and spread chocolate mixture onto wax paper.
• Chill until firm and break into pieces.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.

PEPPERMINT CANDY CANES

Steps:

• Mix a few drops of peppermint into the white, red and green icing. Divide the white icing in 2 and wrap half in cling film along with the green icing.
• Roll the remaining half of white icing into a long, thin sausage shape, then do the same with the red icing. Lay the 2 sausages next to each other, and twist together. Gently roll the twisted length with the palm of your hand until the 2 sausages are joined and smooth. Slice into 12cm lengths, then bend the end of each one to make a hook. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment, then spread out the candy canes. Repeat with the remaining white icing and green icing, then leave the canes to dry out for at least 24 hrs before packaging.

PEPPERMINT CANDY SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F
• Cream butter, sugar, crushed candy, and vanilla thoroughly using an electric mixer. Gradually blend in flour and cornstarch.
• Form dough into 1-inch balls and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Gently press down on each cookie to flatten, either using fingers or a flat-bottomed drinking glass that has been dipped in sugar to prevent sticking.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until bottoms begin to brown.
• Cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For frosting: combine powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly until frosting is smooth. Drizzle cookies with frosting and sprinkle with crushed candy.

PEPPERMINT PATTIES

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine condensed milk and peppermint extract. Beat in enough confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, to form a stiff dough that is no longer sticky. Form into 1 inch balls, then place on waxed paper and flatten with fingers to form patties. Let patties dry at room temperature two hours, turning once.
• In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate with shortening, stirring often. Remove from heat. Dip patties, one at a time, into chocolate by laying them on the tines of a fork and lowering the fork into the liquid. Let cool on waxed paper until set.