All American Peppermint Stick Torte With Fudge Topping Recipes

Steps:

• For crust:
• Finely grind cookies and sugar in processor. Add butter and blend until crumbs begin to stick together. Press crumbs firmly onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Place in freezer.
• For filling:
• Grind candies in processor, leaving some small pieces. Whisk yolks, sugar and water in medium metal bowl to blend. Set bowl over saucepan of rapidly simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Whisk constantly until candy thermometer inserted into mixture registers 170°F, about 6 minutes. Remove bowl from over water. Add half of ground candies and whisk until melted. Let mixture stand until cool, whisking occasionally, about 5 minutes. Mix in remaining candy and peppermint extract.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream in large bowl to stiff peaks. Fold cream into yolk mixture. Spoon mixture into crust; smooth top. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours or overnight.
• For sauce:
• Bring 1 cup cream and corn syrup to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Cool until barely lukewarm and slightly thickened, whisking occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• Spoon 1 cup sauce over frozen filling, spreading to edges. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Cover and keep torte frozen. Cover remaining sauce and refrigerate.)
• Rewarm sauce over low heat, stirring frequently. Run sharp knife around pan sides to loosen torte. Release pan sides. Transfer torte to platter.
• Beat remaining 1 cup cream in large bowl until stiff peaks form. Spoon into pastry bag fitted with star tip. Pipe rosettes of cream around top edge of torte. Place candies between rosettes. Serve with warm sauce.

Steps:

• Line the bottom and sides of an 8x4-in. loaf pan with foil. Grease foil with 1-1/2 teaspoons butter; set aside. , In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until creamy. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar, cocoa, milk and vanilla until smooth. Stir in nuts. Spread into prepared pan. Chill until firm, about 1 hour. , For peppermint layer, beat cream cheese in a small bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar, milk and extract until smooth. Stir in peppermint candy. Spread evenly over chocolate layer. Chill until firm, about 1 hour. , Using foil, lift fudge from pan. Gently peel off foil. Cut into squares.

Steps:

• Coat a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, and set aside. Place sugar, corn syrup, and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan. Cover; bring to a boil. Remove lid, and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until syrup registers 305 degrees (hard-crack stage) on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and carefully stir in lemon juice, extract, and food coloring.
• Pour hot syrup onto prepared baking sheet, being careful not to touch syrup. Using a metal spatula coated with cooking spray, fold edges toward the middle (this will help cool the syrup). When it is cool enough to handle but still quite warm, using plastic gloves, strech and pull candy, folding it over onto itself before pulling again, until it is opaque and just starting to firm up, about 10 minutes.
• Immediately pull off pieces to form long pencil-thin ropes. Working quickly, cut into 7-inch lengths with a pair of kitchen scissors. Continue pulling until all candy is used or is no longer pliable.
• Temper chocolate: Heat 2/3 of chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water until chocolate registers 118 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove pan from heat, and add the remaining chocolate; stir with a rubber spatula (avoid using a wooden spoon, which can impart other flavors) until it cools to 84 degrees. Remove any unmelted pieces, and discard. Return bowl to pan, and stir until chocolate reaches 88 to 90 degrees.
• Dip top 3 inches of each pepperment stick in the chocolate, if desired. Allow excess to drip off; set on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and let harden.