Peppermint Patties

Peppermint Patties: In the bowl of your electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat (on low speed) the sugar, butter, peppermint oil, vanilla extract, and evaporated milk (or heavy cream) until combined. Increase the speed to medium low and beat until very creamy and smooth (like Play-Doh) (about 2 minutes).

Place the dough between two sheets of parchment or wax paper and roll until it is about 1/4 inch (.5 cm) thick (about an 8 inch (20 cm) round). As you roll, periodically check the top and bottom sheets of parchment and smooth out any wrinkles. Place dough on a baking sheet (along with the parchment paper) and place in the refrigerator until cold and very firm (about 60 minutes). (For faster chilling, place in the freezer for about 15 minutes).

Once chilled, remove from refrigerator or freezer, and peel off the top piece of parchment paper. Using an 1 1/2 inch (4 cm) cookie cutter, that has been dipped in powdered sugar, cut out the patties. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Cover and place in the refrigerator until the patties are firm (at least one hour, or even overnight) or in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Gather up the scraps, reroll to 1/4 inch (.5 cm) thick, freeze, cut out remaining patties, and freeze until firm.

Chocolate Coating: Melt the chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl, placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove the patties from the refrigerator (or freezer) and dip, one patty at a time, into the melted chocolate, making sure each patty is completely coated with chocolate. (You can use a fork or a chocolate dipping fork.) Let any excess chocolate drip back into the bowl and then place the patties back on the parchment lined baking sheet. Once all the patties have been dipped in the chocolate, return to the refrigerator to chill until firm (30 - 60 minutes). Store in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, (separate layers with parchment paper or wax paper) for a couple of weeks or they can be frozen.

Makes about 28 - 1 1/2 inch (4 cm) Peppermint Patties. Preparation time 90 minutes.

Peppermint Patties are the perfect confection. Perfect because they have a delicious coating of shiny dark chocolate. And perfect because the filling is so soft and creamy, with a peppermint flavor that gives a nice blast of 'cool' that tingles the mouth.

Now that 'cool' feeling comes from the oil (menthol) in the peppermint. Harold McGee tells us in his excellent book "On Food and Cooking" that this 'cool' feeling is actually because the "Menthol, at low concentrations, raises the threshold temperature at which the cold receptors in our skin begin to discharge: that is, it makes our warm mouth feel cool".
This recipe for Peppermint Patties is modeled after York Peppermint Patties, that popular commercially made confection invented by the York Cone Company. Peppermint Patties were introduced in 1940, but only in the Northeast, Ohio, Indiana, and Florida. It took until 1972 before they were distributed nationwide.

Homemade Peppermint Patties are a combination of confectioners sugar (powdered or icing), butter, mint flavoring, and evaporated milk or heavy cream. In order to get that real authentic peppermint taste, use pure peppermint oil (make sure it is labeled "Food Grade"), not pure peppermint extract. Peppermint Oil has a much stronger and more concentrated flavor than peppermint extract so only a small amount of the oil is needed to give these patties that cool and refreshing mint flavor. I used LorAnn Peppermint Oil #ad. Unfortunately, peppermint oil is not found in grocery stores. You can find it in some cake decorating stores or online.

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Description: