Triple Chocolate Peppermint Treats Recipes

TRIPLE-CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT TRIFLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cake: Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Line bottom with parchment paper; coat with cooking spray.
• Bring milk and butter almost to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, and set aside. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Put eggs into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until pale and fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add hot milk mixture in a slow, steady stream. Add flour mixture, and beat until just combined.
• Pour batter into pan. Bake until center springs back when lightly touched, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 20 minutes. Turn out onto rack. Remove parchment; let cool completely. Halve cake horizontally.
• Make the syrup: Bring sugar and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Let cool completely. Stir in liqueur.
• Make the mousse: Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Bring 1 cup cream just to a boil in a small saucepan. Place white chocolate in a food processor; with machine running, pour in hot cream in a slow, steady stream, and process until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl set in ice-water bath. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to hold ribbons on surface, about 15 minutes.
• Beat remaining 1 1/2 cups cream to nearly stiff peaks. Fold into chocolate mixture, then fold in candies. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until thickened and almost firm, 4 to 6 hours.
• Make the pudding: Put chocolate into a large bowl; set aside. Bring cream almost to a boil in a small saucepan. Whisk yolks in a bowl. Pour in hot cream in a slow, steady stream, whisking.
• Pour mixture back into pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 1 minute. Pour through a fine sieve over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Set bowl in ice-water bath. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to hold ribbons on surface, about 15 minutes. Place plastic wrap directly on surface; refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.
• To assemble: Spread one-third of the mousse into bottom of a glass trifle bowl that is 8 to 10 inches in diameter. Top with a cake layer, and brush with half the syrup.Top with half the pudding, then another third of mousse. Place remaining cake layer on top; brush with remaining syrup. Top with remaining pudding, then mousse. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 12 hours.
• Beat cream and sugar until soft peaks form. Top trifle with the whipped cream, and sprinkle with candies.

TRIPLE-CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT FUDGE

Steps:

• Butter an 8-inch square cake pan; line with parchment, leaving a 1-inch overhang on two sides. Butter parchment. Place butter in a large heatproof glass bowl set on a wire rack.
• Heat cream, sugar, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa powder, corn syrup, and salt in a heavy saucepan over medium, stirring, until sugar is dissolved and chocolate is melted, about 10 minutes. Attach a candy thermometer to pan; bring mixture to a boil, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Boil, without stirring, until mixture reaches 238 degrees, about 15 minutes.
• Pour chocolate mixture into glass bowl (do not scrape saucepan). Attach thermometer to bowl; let stand (without stirring) until mixture reaches 110 degrees, about 1 hour, 30 minutes. Stir in peppermint extract with a wooden spoon; continue stirring and folding until mixture starts to thicken, lightens slightly in color, and begins to lose its sheen, about 5 minutes.
• Pour mixture into prepared cake pan (do not scrape bowl); press evenly with your hands, then smooth top with a spatula. Sprinkle evenly with candies, pressing to adhere. Let cool 1 hour. Spread white chocolate over candies. Refrigerate until firm, at least 15 minutes and up to 3 days.
• Run a sharp knife around edges of fudge to loosen; remove using parchment. Cut into 1-inch squares. Fudge can be stored in refrigerator, between layers of parchment, up to 1 week; bring to room temperature before serving.