Peppermint Cream Bars Food

PEPPERMINT CREAM BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 and line a 13x9 pan with tin foil extended over sides. Grease tin foil.
• FOR CRUST: Combine cookie mix and flour, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Press into greased pan and bake for about 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned (mine never quite made it to brown, so I just gave up after about 18 minutes, they turned out fine).
• MIDDLE LAYER: (make this while crust is baking) Whisk together egg yolks, sweetened, condensed milk, and peppermint extract (I just did it for about a minute until everything looked fully combined) Stir in the crushed peppermints. Once the crust is done, pour mixture over it as carefully and evenly as possible and bake for about 20-25 minutes. Once done, let cool on counter for about an hour and chill in fridge for another 30 minutes (it's a long process but SO GOOD! I promise!).
• WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE: Heat heavy whipping cream just to boiling, remove from heat and add white chocolate chips DON'T STIR YET! Let sit for five minutes, stir together until smooth (I assume if you use really good white chocolate this process will be a lot easier, but my cheap chips were stubborn so I had to stir for a long time to get all the little suckers melted together) Pour over cooled bars, spread evenly. Put back in fridge for another hour (I took them out after about 40 minutes because I couldn't stand it anymore!) until set. Cut into bars (makes about 36).

PEPPERMINT CREAMS

Steps:

• Sieve the icing sugar into a large bowl. Add a little of the egg white and a few drops of the peppermint essence and mix really well. You want the mixture to come together as a soft dough, so keep adding a little egg white until this starts to happen (you might not need to use all of it). Taste the mixture and add more peppermint essence if desired.
• Divide the mixture into 20 small balls, then flatten them gently with your fingertips into discs.
• Place baking parchment on a large board or tray and space out the discs. Meanwhile, tip the chocolate into a microwavable bowl and heat in 30 second intervals in the microwave until melted, stirring after each blast. Once melted, leave the chocolate to cool for 5-10 mins then carefully dip the peppermint creams in the melted chocolate until they are half coated. Lay them back on the baking parchment to set for 3-4 hours or overnight.

PEPPERMINT CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Crust:.
• In a medium bowl, combine crushed chocolate wafer cookies, melted butter and sugar. Press mixture into bottom of an ungreased 13 x 9-in baking pan; set aside.
• Chocolate Layer:.
• In a saucepan, melt chocolate chips and 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream, stirring occasionally. Pour chocolate mixture over crust and spread evenly to cover. Place in freezer for 20-25 minutes.
• Peppermint Filling:.
• In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium-high, whip remaining 1 1/2 cup heavy cream until thick and fluffy; set aside.
• In another bowl beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add peppermint extract, confectioners' sugar, and if desired a few drops of red food coloring. Beat until mixture is smooth. Stir in crushed peppermint candy canes. Fold in whipped cream until just mixed. Spread evenly over chocolate layer. Sprinkle with more crushed candy canes if desired.
• Cover pan and freeze for 4 hours.
• This dessert can be served at room temperature or frozen. If desired, garnish each square with a peppermint candy.

POLAR BEAR PEPPERMINT CREAMS

Steps:

• Sieve the icing sugar into a large bowl. Mix in the egg white, a little at a time - stop adding it when you have a soft dough that feels like plasticine.
• Add 3 drops of the peppermint essence, mix well and taste. Add another drop if it isn't minty enough.
• Roll half the mixture into 15 balls, about the size of cherry tomatoes, then flatten them with your hand to make the bear heads.
• Place on sheets of baking parchment on a large board or tray. Using half the remaining mixture, make blueberry-sized balls and flatten them out onto the heads to make snouts. Add chocolate sweets for the noses.
• Use the rest of the mixture to make the ears. Shape them into tiny balls and press them gently into the top of the heads with your fingertips. Use a cocktail stick to shape the eyes.
• Leave the polar bears to dry for 3-4 hrs, or overnight. Eat within 1 month.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BARS

Steps:

• For Layer#1:.
• Melt chocolate and butter, stirring frequently.
• Cream eggs and sugar; add flour and chocolate mixture.
• Mix well and spread in 8x8 pan.
• Bake at 350F for 20 min; turn oven off and bake 5 min more.
• Let cool.
• For Layer#2:.
• Cream sugar and butter together.
• Blend in cream and extract.
• Spread on cooled crust layer and refrigerate until chilled.
• For Layer#3:.
• Melt chocolate and butter together; pour over peppermint layer.
• Chill& cut into small squares (this is rich!).

PEPPERMINT BUTTERCREAM BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• In small mixer bowl combine sugar, 3/4 cup butter and 1 tablespoon cream.
• Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until light and fluffy (1 minute).
• By hand, stir in all remaining crust ingredients except chocolate chips.
• Press on bottom of 13x9-inch baking pan.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
• Sprinkle with chocolate chips.
• Let stand 2 minutes; spread over crust.
• Cool 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in large mixer bowl combine powdered sugar, 1/4 cup butter, cream cheese, salt and peppermint extract flavoring.
• Beat at medium speed, gradually adding enough whipping cream to reach desired consistency and scraping bowl often, until smooth (1 to 2 minutes).
• Spread over cooled chocolate layer.
• Refrigerate until firm (at least 1 hour) cut into bars.
• Store refrigerated.