Chocolate mint melt-aways

 
                         Chocolate Mint Melt-Aways
 
 Recipe By     : Bon Appetit, Dec. 1990
 Serving Size  : 36   Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Christmas
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
                         Cookies
    1      cup           butter, unsalted -- room temp
    2      teaspoons     vanilla extract
      1/2  teaspoon      peppermint extract -- naturaly flavored
      1/2  cup           powdered sugar, plus 2 T.
    2      cups          flour, all-purpose
                         Ganache
      1/4  cup           whipping cream, plus 2 T.
    2      Tablespoons   butter, unsalted
    9      ounces        white chocolate -- chopped
      1/4  teaspoon      peppermint extract -- naturaly flavored
                         Coating
    9      ounces        bittersweet chocolate, or semisweet
    1      Tablespoon    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.
 
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