Peppermint Patties

Who knew making homemade peppermint patties is so easy? Well it is! You can do it!

I have made this recipe twice. Once, following the original directions, which makes big slabs which are cut into smaller pieces. Since the recipe is from an ice cream cookbook, the patties aren't pretty because they're supposed to be stirred into ice cream. When I made them I noticed the mint dough was pretty easy to work with and stayed together very well when dipped into chocolate. So the second time I made them, I patted the dough flat and then used a cookie cutter to form small disks. It worked like a mint charm!

Peppermint Patties
from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 tsp. water
scant 1/8 tsp. peppermint extract or oil
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap or parchment paper and dust it with about 1 tablespoon of the confectioners' sugar.

In a bowl, mix the corn syrup, water, and mint extract or oil. Gradually stir in the remiaing confectioner's sugar. As the mixture thickens, knead it with your hands until it forms a smooth ball (it will seem dry at first, but it will come together).

Pat the dough out ounto the sugar-dusted baking sheet about 1/3 inch thick and let it dry, uncovered, for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Melt the chocolate in a clean, absolutely dry bowl set over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat. Line a dinner plate with plastic wrap. Cut the mint disk into 6 triangular wedges, as if cutting a pie, and brush off any excess powdered sugar. Using 2 forks, dip each wedge in the chocolate, turning it over to coat both sides, then trasfer each piece to the plastic-lined dinner plate.

Chill in the refrigerator or freezer until the chocolate has firmed up, then chop into bite-sized pieces.