Chocolate Peppermintini Recipes

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINTINI

Steps:

• Place ice in cocktail shaker; add half-and-half, vodka, schnapps and crème de cacao. Shake until blended. Pour into glasses, straining out ice. Garnish with candy canes.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing 2 inches of paper to hang over the sides.
• Make the shortbread: In a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Add butter and process until a smooth dough forms. Press dough evenly into the bottom of prepared baking pan. Bake until firm to the touch, and sides of the crust are beginning to pull away from the pan, about 25 minutes. Cool completely.
• Make the filling: In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine confectioners' sugar, butter, cream and peppermint extract. Beat until mixture forms a thick, smooth paste. Press filling evenly over shortbread. Chill to set the filling for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Use parchment paper overhang to lift the shortbread and peppermint out of the baking pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into 1 1/2-inch squares (there should be 36 squares). Place squares on a rack placed over a parchment-lined sheet tray, and let them come to room temperature for about 15 minutes.
• In the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt 7 ounces chocolate, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat, add remaining 2 ounces chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes.
• Add coconut oil, if using, and stir the chocolate until smooth. Spoon 1 teaspoon chocolate on top of a cut peppermint square, using the back of the spoon to spread chocolate to the edges. Be sure to fully cover the top of the square with chocolate. (Leave the sides exposed, though it's O.K. if some of the chocolate drips down.) Repeat with remaining squares.
• Let squares sit at room temperature until chocolate is set, at least 1 hour.

WHITE CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT MARTINI

Steps:

• Dip the rim of a martini glass in marshmallow topping then crushed peppermint candies. Drizzle some marshmallow topping on inside of glass; place glass in freezer.
• In a shaker with ice, add vodka, schnapps, and the liqueur. Shake until mixed; pour into prepared glass. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint.

PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Stir 2 tablespoons milk, cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract together in a mug until well blended.
• Microwave 3/4 cup milk on high for 2 1/2 minutes in a microwave-safe mug. Pour the hot milk over the cocoa mixture; stir with candy cane.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a mixer beat together the butter with the sugars until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until smooth after each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add in the vanilla. On a low speed beat in the flour mixture a little at a time. Gently mix in chocolate chips.
• On an ungreased cookie sheet, drop teaspoons of the batter about 2 inches apart. Bake until just cracked on top, about 8 to10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the cooking time. Cool completely.
• For the glaze: In a small bowl mix together the sugar; mint extract and water until smooth. Transfer mixture to a medium resealable plastic bag and snip off the corner. Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies. Let cookies stand until set, about 10 minutes.

PEPPERMINTINI

Steps:

• Wet the rim of a chilled martini glass with water, and dip into the crushed candy cane. Pour the vodka, schnapps, and half-and-half into a cocktail shaker over ice. Cover, and shake until the outside of the shaker has frosted. Strain into the rimmed martini glass, and garnish with candy cane to serve.

CHOCOLATE-PEPPERMINT PROFITEROLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make the profiteroles: Sift together flour, cocoa, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Bring milk, butter, and granulated sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, and immediately stir in flour mixture using a wooden spoon. Return saucepan to medium heat; cook, stirring constantly, until dough forms and flour lumps dissolve, about 2 1/2 minutes.
• Transfer dough to the bowl of a mixer, and beat on medium speed until slightly cooled, about 2 minutes. Beat in 2 eggs, 1 at a time. Test dough by touching it with your finger and lifting to form a string. If string does not form, the batter needs more egg. Lightly beat remaining egg, and add to dough, 1 teaspoon at a time, testing after each addition. Beat until batter is smooth and glossy, about 2 minutes more.
• Using a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip, pipe about twenty 1 1/2-inch rounds of batter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart. Bake until puffed and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the peppermint cream: Bring milk, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. While milk is heating, whisk together yolks and remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk in cornstarch, 1 tablespoon at a time, until combined. Once milk starts to boil, slowly pour it into yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return entire mixture to saucepan; whisk. Cook over medium-high heat until thick, about 1 1/2 minutes. Immediately remove from heat, and strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Stir in peppermint. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of cream, and refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour.
• Whisk peppermint cream until smooth. Whisk heavy cream in a medium bowl until medium-stiff peaks form. Working in 2 batches, fold whipped cream into peppermint cream.
• Make the chocolate sauce: Heat heavy cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until butter melts. Add sugars, whisking until dissolved. Whisk in cocoa and a pinch of salt. Strain chocolate sauce through a fine sieve into a bowl. Let stand until ready to use.
• Assemble the profiteroles: Slice profiteroles in half horizontally. Sandwich about 1 tablespoon peppermint cream between each. Pour warm chocolate sauce over profiteroles just before serving.