Peppermint Chocolate Hearts Food

PEPPERMINT BARK HEARTS

Steps:

• Line cookie sheet with waxed paper.
• Arrange candy canes on waxed paper in groups of 2 with ends touching to form heart shapes.
• Place candy coating in 2-cup microwave safe measuring cup.
• Microwave on Medium for 2-3 minutes, stirring once halfway through melting time.
• Stir until melted and smooth.
• Spoon or pipe candy coating into centers of hearts to fill spaces.
• Sprinkle with crushed candy.
• Cool 30 minutes or until set.

PEPPERMINT-BARK HEARTS

Steps:

• Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Arrange candy canes on waxed paper in groups of 2 with ends touching to form heart shapes.
• In 2-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave candy coating uncovered on Medium (50%) 2 to 3 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking time, until softened. Stir until melted and smooth.
• Spoon or pipe candy coating into centers of hearts to fill spaces. Sprinkle with crushed candy. Cool 30 minutes or until set.

CHOCOLATE FILLED PEPPERMINT VALENTINE HEART COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until thoroughly combined. With an electric mixer or stand mixer, beat together the butter, 3/4 cup shortening, sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl until fluffy; beat in the eggs, 1/4 cup milk, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of peppermint extract. Gradually beat in the flour mixture, about 1 cup at a time, until the mixture forms a soft dough. Divide the dough into 4 pieces, cover, and chill for 1 hour in refrigerator.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• To make filling, melt 1 3/4 cups of milk chocolate chips with 2 tablespoons of vegetable shortening in the top of a double boiler over hot (not boiling) water. Stir the mixture until very smooth, and remove the filling from the heat to cool and slightly thicken.
• Remove one piece of cookie dough from refrigerator at a time, and working on a floured surface, roll the cookie dough out 1/8-inch thick, and cut out 120 hearts (total) with a 2 1/2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter. Place half the hearts onto ungreased baking sheets. Carefully spread those hearts with about a teaspoon of the chocolate filling, avoiding the edges, and top each with another heart cookie. Gently pinch the edges of both cookies together to enclose the filling.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes; let cool for 1 minute on the baking sheets before removing to finish cooling on racks.
• For peppermint drizzle, mix together the confectioners' sugar, 1 drop of peppermint extract (to taste), red food coloring to your desired shade of pink or red, and milk as needed in a bowl to make a smooth, thin icing. For chocolate drizzle, melt 1/4 cup of milk chocolate chips with 2 teaspoons of vegetable shortening over hot (not boiling) water in a double boiler; stir and heat until the mixture is thin enough to drip in strings from a spoon.
• Drizzle each cooled cookie with a little peppermint drizzle on one side, and a little chocolate drizzle on the other. Let the cookies stand so the drizzle sets, about 30 minutes.