Peppermint Candy Recipes

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, melt chocolate chips with 3/4 cup condensed milk over low heat, stirring occasionally. Line an 8-in. square dish with waxed paper; butter the paper. , Spread half of melted chocolate mixture into pan; chill for 5-10 minutes (let remaining melted chocolate mixture stand at room temperature). , In another saucepan, melt white baking chips. Stir in remaining condensed milk until smooth. Remove from the heat; add extract and food coloring. Refrigerate until set. Spread over chocolate layer; spread with reserved chocolate mixture. Refrigerate until set. Cut into 1-in. pieces.

Steps:

• Line an 8-by-8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray.
• In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk and stir until melted and smooth. Pour into the prepared baking pan and spread to even out the surface. Sprinkle on the crushed candies. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Lift the foil out of the pan and peel off the fudge. Cut into small squares.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and coat two 9-inch-round cake pans with cooking spray; line with parchment paper. Prepare the cake mix as directed; transfer the batter to the pans. Bake and cool as directed.
• Combine half of the frosting with the crushed candy. Place 1 cake on a small cardboard circle, domed-side down; spread with the candy frosting. Place the other cake on top, domed-side up.
• Round the bottom and top edges of the layer cake with a small serrated knife as shown. Cover the whole cake with a thin layer of the remaining plain frosting.
• Microwave the marshmallows with 1/4 cup water in a large bowl until melted. Add the peppermint extract; gradually beat in all but 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar with a mixer until thick and stiff. Beat in the butter.
• Remove half of the frosting mixture; knead in a little more confectioners' sugar until smooth. Roll out into a 13-inch circle on a piece of parchment dusted with confectioners' sugar.
• Carefully invert the rolled-out frosting onto the cake; peel off the parchment, brushing off the excess sugar. Tuck around the bottom edge of the cake, pressing gently to adhere; trim the excess.
• Beat enough gel food coloring into the remaining frosting mixture until bright red. Knead in the remaining confectioners' sugar until smooth.
• Roll out the red frosting until 1/4 inch thick. Cut a 7-by-1 3/4-inch wavy stripe with a pointed tip out of paper (for a template, go to foodnetwork.com/caketemplate). Using the template, cut out 7 red stripes of frosting.
• Carefully arrange the red stripes around the cake with the tips meeting at the center; press gently to adhere and tuck around the bottom of the cake, then trim any excess. Wrap the cake in cellophane.

Steps:

• Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil, shiny-side up; smooth out any wrinkles. Heat 1 inch of water in a saucepan over low heat until steaming.
• Put all but 3/4 cup of the semisweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over the saucepan of steaming water (do not let the bowl touch the water) and stir until one-third of the chocolate is melted. Remove the bowl from the saucepan; keep the steaming water over low heat. Gradually stir the reserved 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate into the bowl, a few pieces at a time, until all of the chocolate is melted. Return the bowl to the saucepan, 5 to 10 seconds at a time, to help melt the chocolate, if needed. Do not rush this step: It may take up to 10 minutes to melt the chocolate.
• Wipe off any moisture from the bottom of the bowl. Stir 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract into the chocolate, then quickly pour into the prepared baking dish and spread in an even layer. Firmly tap the dish against the counter to remove any air bubbles. Set aside at room temperature until almost set, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put all but 1 cup of the white chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and repeat the melting process over the steaming water; dry off the bottom of the bowl. Stir in the remaining 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract; pour over the semisweet chocolate and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle immediately with the crushed candy canes, gently pressing them into the white chocolate. Set aside at room temperature until firm, about 1 hour. Lift the bark out of the pan using the foil and break it into pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Steps:

• Combine the sweetened condensed milk and peppermint extract.
• Slowly add the powdered sugar and beat.
• Knead on a surface sprinkled with more sugar until dough is stiff.
• (The stiffer the better when it come to the dipping part!) Add more sugar while kneading if the dough is sticky.
• Roll 1/4 inch thick.
• Cut into approximately 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inch circles. If they are much bigger than that they fall apart when you dip them.
• My girlfriend said she uses a screw-off wine bottle cap!
• Let the cut patties dry for at least 2 hours on *each* side. They need to be really dry.
• Melt chocolate & shortening it a double boiler; stirring constantly until smooth. Using 1 Tbls of shortening for every 6 oz. of chocolate. Keep chocolate hot for dipping.
• Dip patties in melted chocolate. The method my friend has found to work best: she places them on a long 3-tined fork, puts them in the chocolate (it should be no more than 1 1/2 inches deep), flips them over to coat the other side, lifts them out again with the fork underneath the patty, shakes the fork to shake off the excess chocolate & then places the patty on waxed paper to harden.

Steps:

• Beat cream cheese, butter, corn syrup and extract in large mixing bowl at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended.
• Gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar; mix well.
• Divide mixture into thirds. Knead a few drops green food coloring into one third; repeat with red food coloring and the second third. Leave the last third white.
• Wrap each third in plastic wrap.
• Working with one color mixture at a time, shape into 3/4-inch balls.
• Place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Flatten each ball with bottom of glass that has been lightly dipped in confectioner's sugar.
• Repeat with remaining mixtures.
• Decorating with icing or melted chocolate.
• Chill.

Steps:

• Combine the sugar, water, syrup and cream of tartar in a sauce pan and heat till the sugar has dissolved.
• Divide mixture into 2 saucepans, bring to a boil (do not stir the mixtures in both pots) until the candy thermometer reads 280 degrees F.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint into each pot and add the red food coloring into one pot, leaving the other pot plain.
• Oil an enamel or marble surface or slab.
• Place mixture from one pot and stretch it like taffy, pulling and forming the mixture into a rope.
• Set aside and continue with other pot doing the same thing.
• Take both red and white ropes and twist them around each other again and again.
• Cut into desired sizes and form into candy cane shapes.
• Oil the surface lightly again and place candy canes and allow them to harden.
• Have fun making these!

Steps:

• Blend together corn syrup, sugar, water, and cream of tartar.
• Stir, dissolving the sugar.
• Without stirring, cook until the hard ball stage (265°F).
• Remove from burner; add peppermint oil, blend well.
• Divide into 2 porions.
• In one half, add red coloring.
• Pour over greased platters.
• Let cool.
• When cool enough to touch, pull each apart seperatly.
• Form into ropes and twist red with white candy mixtures.
• Cut into desired lengths and shapes.

Steps:

• Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment or wax paper. Heat chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over a medium pot of barely simmering water (bottom of bowl should not touch water), stirring occasionally, or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring in between bursts, until chocolate is melted and smooth.
• Fold marshmallows and 1/2 cup candies into chocolate until evenly combined. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of chocolate mixture onto prepared baking sheets; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup candies. Chill until set, about 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature.
• Do Ahead
• Candies can be made 5 days ahead; transfer to an airtight container and chill.

Steps:

• Mix a few drops of peppermint into the white, red and green icing. Divide the white icing in 2 and wrap half in cling film along with the green icing.
• Roll the remaining half of white icing into a long, thin sausage shape, then do the same with the red icing. Lay the 2 sausages next to each other, and twist together. Gently roll the twisted length with the palm of your hand until the 2 sausages are joined and smooth. Slice into 12cm lengths, then bend the end of each one to make a hook. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment, then spread out the candy canes. Repeat with the remaining white icing and green icing, then leave the canes to dry out for at least 24 hrs before packaging.

Steps:

• Melt white chocolate either in a double boiler or in a bowl over a pot of boiling water.
• Stir in crushed candy cane and peppermint flavoring into melted white chocolate.
• Line a 11x17" baking pan with wax paper.
• Pour and spread chocolate mixture onto wax paper.
• Chill until firm and break into pieces.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.