Chocolate Mint Melt-Aways

Title:
Chocolate Mint Melt-Aways

Yield:
36 Servings

Categories:
Christmas,
Cookies,
Desserts




Ingredients:




----------------------------------COOKIES----------------------------------


     1 c  Butter; unsalted, room temp


     2 ts Vanilla extract


   1/2 ts Peppermint extract; naturaly


          -flavored


   1/2 c  Powdered sugar; plus 2 T.


     2 c  Flour; all-purpose





----------------------------------GANACHE----------------------------------


   1/4 c  Whipping cream; plus 2 T.


     2 tb Butter; unsalted


     9 oz White chocolate; chopped


   1/4 ts Peppermint extract; naturaly


          -flavored



----------------------------------COATING----------------------------------


     9 oz Bittersweet chocolate; or


          -semisweet


     1 tb Vegetable shortening





 Cookies:Preheat oven to 350. Butter 2 large heavy baking sheets. Using


 mixer, cream butter, sugar and extracts until light. Beat in half of the


 flour. Stir in remaining flour. Spoon half of dough into a pastry bag


 fitted with #4 star tip , or cookie press. Either pipe 2 1/2 inch ovals


 with solid centers or press into desired shape, spacing cookies 1/2 "


 apart. Repeat with remaing dough. Bake until golden brown on edges, about


 12 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and cool.


 


 Ganache:Bring cream and butter to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Add


 chocolate and stir until smooth. Mix in extract. Refrigerate just until


 firm enough to spread, stirring occaisionally, about 30 minutes.


 


 Line 2 cookie sheets with foil or parchment paper. Using a small spatula


 spread 1 teaspooon of ganache over flat side of cookie. Arrange ganache


 side up on cookie shhets. Refrigerate until firm.


 


 Coating: Melt chocolate and shortning together over double boiler until


 smooth. Remove from water. Grasping cookie by the edges, dip bottom of


 cookie into chocolate, place on cookie sheet chocolate side down. Repeat


 with remaining cookies. Chill until chocolate sets.


 


 Recipe by: Bon Appetit, Dec. 1990


 


 Posted to recipelu-digest Volume 01 Number 316 by RecipeLu


 
on Nov 27, 1997