This holiday has been set aside for all the chocolate mint lovers to eat their favorite treats all day long. Who are we kidding…we eat chocolate mint treats all YEAR long. 🙂
The Aztecs and Mayans are given much credit for their ways with chocolate, and while chocolate was brought back to Europeans, they were not fond of the dark, bitter bean, and it was used more for medicinal purposes.
As it was mostly consumed as a hot beverage, Europeans mixed mint, cinnamon and other spices to make it more palatable. Over time, sugar was added, and the combination of chocolate and mint became fashionable.
Fast forward to the mid-1800s when inventions and improvements in processes made it possible for confectioners to begin mass producing chocolates. Even then, small candy shops served a local public. Advertisements for mint chocolates, or chocolate mints, did not start showing up in newspapers until the turn of the century.
CHOCOLATE MINT COOKIES
Photo courtesy Chocolat Celeste.
Ingredients
Cookies
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, soft
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
Chocolate Coating
10 ounces top-quality chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk first 4 ingredients.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. At low speed, mix in the milk & extracts. Mixture will look curdled. Gradually, add in the flour mixture until incorporated. Shape dough into two logs, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, wrap in plastic wrap & freeze for 1-2 hours, until dough is very firm.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Slice dough into rounds not more than 1/4 inch thick and place on a parchment- lined baking sheet.
Bake for 13-15 minutes. Cool cookies completely before dipping in chocolate.
Over low heat in a double boiler, combine chocolate and butter stirring frequently, until chocolate is smooth. Chocolate should have the consistency of chocolate syrup. Remove from heat. Dip each cookie in melted chocolate. Turn with a fork to coat, then transfer to a piece of wax paper to set for at least 30 minutes, or until chocolate is cool and firm. Reheat chocolate as needed.
