Tartine With Chocolate And Mint Butter Recipes

BUTTER MINTS

Steps:

• Combine butter and 2 cups sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until sugar is moistened, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until well combined. Return mixer to low speed, add remaining 2 cups sugar, and mix until well combined, 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high; beat until light and fluffy, 6 minutes more. Add peppermint extract, milk, and salt; beat until smooth.
• Lightly dust a clean work surface with confectioners' sugar and turn out "dough" onto it. Divide into 5 pieces; tint as desired with food coloring, leaving one piece white. (Keep covered with plastic wrap while working to prevent drying.)
• Roll "dough" into 1/2-inch-thick ropes, then cut into pieces slightly over 1/2 inch long with a paring knife or bench scraper. Transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Let dry, uncovered, at least 12 hours. Mints can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

BROWN BUTTER MADELEINES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• To brown the butter, melt the butter over medium heat in a heavy saucepan, allowing to bubble and foam, stirring frequently. Once the foaming subsides, allow the butter to brown along the bottom and then remove the pan from the heat. Browning will take about 5 minutes total; do not burn.
• In a medium bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, and honey with electric mixer until thick and pale. Add the browned butter and mix.
• In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and mix into liquid ingredients, along with zest, just until blended.
• Fill the greased madeleine baking molds and bake until golden, 9 to 11 minutes.
• *Cook's Note: you may substitute a mini-muffin pan for madeleine molds.

CHOCOLATE-MINT TORTE

Steps:

• Set a roasting pan on lowest rack of oven. Fill pan halfway with water. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Cut parchment paper large enough to cover bottom and to hang over long sides of loaf pan. Place in loaf pan; coat with cooking spray.
• Put chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Heat, stirring, until melted. Remove from heat; let cool slightly.
• Put heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl; set aside.
• Put eggs and sugar in the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk on medium-high speed until tripled in volume, 3 to 4 minutes. Gently fold half of the chocolate mixture into egg mixture until almost incorporated; fold in remaining chocolate mixture. Fold in reserved whipped cream and the peppermint extract.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Set loaf pan in roasting pan. Bake until chocolate loses its sheen and appears set when loaf pan is jiggled, about 25 minutes.
• Carefully transfer roasting pan to a heatproof surface. Remove loaf pan from water bath; let cool completely on a rack.
• Pulling up on parchment, remove torte from pan; transfer to a baking sheet. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Using an offset spatula, gently loosen torte from parchment and then invert onto a serving platter.
• Using a sieve, lightly dust torte with cocoa. Garnish with fresh and chocolate mint leaves, and whipped cream if desired.

CHOCOLATE MINT TRUFFLE TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Combine cookie crumbs and 1/4 cup butter; press onto bottom and up sides of an ungreased 10-in. tart pan. Place tart pan on baking sheet; bake until crust is set, 12-15 minutes., In a small heavy saucepan, heat cream and remaining butter over medium heat until bubbles form around sides of pan. Place chocolate chips, sugar and vanilla in a bowl; pour cream mixture over chocolate and stir until chocolate is melted and sugar has dissolved. Slowly pour 1/3 of the warm chocolate mixture into eggs while stirring continuously; return egg mixture to chocolate and stir until smooth., Pour into prepared tart shell. Bake until center is just set (mixture will jiggle), 25-30 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. If desired, top with whipped cream, chopped chocolate and chocolate curls. Refrigerate.

BROWNIES WITH A CHOCOLATE GLAZE AND MINT FROSTING

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle of oven; set to 325°F.
• Construct a foil sling: Cut one 18" length foil and fold it lengthwise so that it is 8-inches wide.
• Fit foil into length of 9x13-inch baking dish, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhang pan edges.
• Cut one 14-inch length foil and, if using extra-wide foil, fold it lengthwise so that it is 12" wide; fit into width of baking pan in same manner, perpendicular to first sheet.
• Spray foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in medium bowl; set aside.
• Melt chocolate and butter in large heatproof bowl set over saucepan of almost-simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth.
• (Alternatively, in microwave, heat butter and chocolate in large microwave-safe bowl on high for 45 seconds, then stir and heat an additional 30 seconds. Stir again, and, if necessary, repeat in 15-second increments; do not let chocolate burn.) When chocolate mixture is completely smooth, remove bowl from saucepan and gradually whisk in sugar.
• Add eggs, one at time, whisking until thoroughly combined after each addition.
• Whisk in vanilla.
• Add about one third of flour mixture and fold with rubber spatula until almost fully incorporated; repeat with half of remaining flour, then all of remaining flour, folding until batter is completely smooth and homogeneous.
• Transfer batter to prepared baking pan; using spatula, spread batter into corners of pan and smooth surface.
• Bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of brownies comes out with few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours.
• For the frosting: In standing mixer fitted with flat beater, beat butter and confectioners' sugar at low speed until just incorporated, then increase speed to medium and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• Add 1 tablespoon milk and mint extract and continue to beat until combined, about 30 seconds, adding up to 1 additional tablespoon milk if necessary to achieve soft, spreadable consistency.
• Using offset spatula, spread mint frosting evenly onto cooled brownies, cover with foil, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• For the glaze: Melt chocolate and butter in medium heatproof bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth; set aside to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Pour chocolate glaze on frosted brownies; using offset spatula, spread glaze into even layer.
• Cover with foil and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour; remove brownies from pan by lifting foil overhang; cut into 2-inch squares and serve.
• (Store leftovers in airtight container in refrigerator).

CHOCOLATE MINT TART

Steps:

• Make the crust: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
• In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon cold water. Add the yolk mixture to the food processor and pulse until it is evenly distributed. The mixture will appear crumbly, but should hold together very easily when pressed. Add a bit more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if necessary. Turn the mixture out onto a piece of plastic wrap and form it into a disc. Wrap the disc in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a circle 1/4- to 1/8-inch thick. Gently fit the dough into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and trim the top evenly. Repair any cracks or tears in the dough with the trimmings and reserve the trimmings, wrapped in plastic and kept at room temperature, to use later if necessary. Freeze for 30 minutes.
• While the shell is chilling, heat oven to 375 degrees. Just before baking, dock the shell all over with a fork, and line the bottom and sides with aluminum foil. Bake the shell until it is cooked through and crisp, about 25 minutes. Remove the foil and, using the leftover dough, repair any cracks that may have formed. Cool the shell on a rack while you prepare the rest of the tart.
• Make the white chocolate ganache: Heat the 1 3/4 cups heavy cream and mint leaves in a saucepan over medium-high until simmering. Turn off heat and let cream steep for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
• Strain the cream through a fine mesh sieve, pressing on the leaves to extract as much cream as possible. Reserve 1 cup of the cream, covered, in the refrigerator.
• Heat the remaining 3/4 cup of cream until simmering and pour it over the white chocolate in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk the mixture until smooth, then let it cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. If the chocolate is resisting melting, set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk until smooth.
• Add the butter and a pinch of salt and whip the ganache on high speed for 10 minutes. It will go from slightly translucent to opaque and aerated. Taste and add the peppermint extract if desired. Pour the whipped ganache into the cooled tart shell, smooth the top and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Make the bittersweet ganache: Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Add the chocolate, butter and salt to a heat-safe bowl and whisk in the hot cream until smooth. If the chocolate is resisting melting, set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk until smooth.
• Use a spatula to spread the bittersweet ganache over the cooled white chocolate ganache. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Just before serving, make the mint cream topping: Whip the reserved 1 cup of infused cream with the confectioners' sugar to soft peaks. Add peppermint extract, if desired. Spread the whipped cream over the top of the ganache and serve the tart cold. Wipe off your knife in between slices for the cleanest cuts.

MINT BUTTERCREAM FROSTING WITH DARK CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream 1 1/3 cups sugar with 1/2 cup butter or margarine, and salt. Blend extract, 2 tablespoons milk, and remaining sugar into mixture. Gradually stir remaining milk into frosting until desired spreading consistency is reached.
• Melt and stir unsweetened chocolate and 2 tablespoons butter or margarine together in a microwave, or in a double boiler. Double this glaze if desired.
• Frost cake. Pipe a frosting scallop at the top edge of the cake to keep glaze from dripping down the sides of the cake. Pour the glaze over the top of the cake. Chill until glaze has set.