Last updated on January 3rd, 2022.
What are PepperMint Candy and Chocolate Bars?
A layer of soft and tender chocolate cookie frosted with a generous layer of Pepper Mint Candy Cream and coated with smooth shiny Chocolate ganache. Sounds good?
Don’t you just love how during Jan-Sep PepperMint Candy are a just a kind gesture you sometime come upon in restaurants?. But any time between Oct -Dec these little swirls are getting an upgrade to literally decorate Santa’s workshop?
I’m going to go a head and explain the phenomena by the wonder that is our brain.
I needed to create some kind of a special cookie filling that will complement dark chocolate. Any other time of the year I would probably chose Dulche De Leche or Coconut (or both), maybe Amaretto, raspberry or yada yada yada.
But it was Oct 1, and the holiday wheels had started to spin. So PepperMint Candy cream it is.
And with the extra cream left over, I created these little cuties. Which kind of remind me PepperMint Patties and Twix Bars, again the wonder that is our brain…
I won’t lie, coating the bars can be messy and tedious. You have to work fast and make sure the chocolate is in the right temperature, or the cream will melt you. Here are my tips that really help me:
- Test the water before jumping in – Cut about 2,3 bars in half and test the chocolate temperature.
- Work in batches of 5 – Coat 5 bars at a time, shake the excess chocolate and place in the refrigerator.
- Collecting the excess chocolate and reuse it – I highly recommend using a small sieve since some crumbs might get into the chocolate.
If you chose you can coat the cookie whole, allow the chocolate to firm up and then cut. (use a sharp warm knife)
About The Recipe:
- You will need to grind the Pepper Mint candy in a food processor. Sometimes the food processor cannot process a whole hard candy, in that case place the candy inside a zip lock bag and the bag between two kitchen towels. Using a rolling pin bang the candy until roughly crushed. Place the crushed candy in the food processor.
- When adding the milk, make sure to add it a table spoon at a time, to avoid a runny filling.
- When Adding the crushed candy in the cream it will change the color of the creme from white to light pink. The longer you will mix the two the more the color will resemble light pink. If you wish to have lighter pink with red speckles among it, mix the crushed candy and cream just until combined.
- If after adding the crushed candy the filling seems too stiff add more milk starting with 1 tea spoon.
HAPPY BAKING!!!
Here are some more chocolate recipes you might like:
PepperMint Candy Chocolate Bars
Ingredients
PepperMint Candy Cream
- 2 Sticks Unsalted Butter, soften (226 g / 8 oz)
- 4 Cups Powderes Sugar (500 g / 18 oz)
- 2 tsp Pepper Mint Extract
- 36 Pepper Mint Candy (such as Starlight) (200 g / 7 oz)
- 1-2 TBS Milk
To Make The Cookie Layer
- 1 + 2 TBS Cup AP Flour (140 g / 5 oz)
- 1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder (28 g / 1 oz)
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar (60 g / 2 oz)
- 1 Stick Unsalted Butter, soften (113 g / 4 oz)
- 1 Large Egg Yolk
To Make The Chocolate Coating
- 3 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips (semi sweet is ok) (500 g / 18 oz)
- 2 TBS Vegetable Shortening
- 5 Pepper Mint Candy, crushed
Instructions
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Place the Pepper Mint candy in a food processor and process until powdered.
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In a bowl of a standing mixer, beat butter on high until smooth.
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Change speed to low and add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Once all the sugar has been fully added increase speed back to high.
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Add the salt and peppermint extract.
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Add the milk, a table spoon at a time, to avoid a runny filling. Beat the filling for about 5 minutes.
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Add the crushed Candy and mix to incorporate.
To Make The cookie Layer
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Preheat Oven to 350F. Grease the bottom and sides of 8" square pan and line with Parchment paper, allowing 2" of parchment paper sticking from the sides of the pan.
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In a medium bowl sift the flour, cocoa mix and baking powder and set a side.
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Beat the butter and powdered sugar in a bowl if a standing mixer, until well mixed.
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Add the egg yolk and mix to combine.
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Add the flour and cocoa mix (Scrap the sides and bottom of the bowl if needed) and beat just until you get a moist dough.
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With you hands, spread the dough in the greased pan until you covered the full surface of the pan with an even layer of dough.
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Using a kitchen fork gently pierced the dough thru out the surface.
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Bake in the middle rack for 16-18 minutes.
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Remove from the oven and allow to completely cool.
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Once the dough is cooled, add the Pepper Mint cream on top than using a cake spatula or a spoon to smooth.
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Place the refrigerator to get hard, 2-3 hours or over night.
Cutting and coating the Bars
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Remove the pan from the refrigerator and with both hands grabbing the excess parchment paper, remove the cookie from the pan. Place on a cutting board.
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Using a sharp knife, cut the cookie into 6 stripes, each 1.25" W. Cut each strip into 3 equal bars. (each should be about 1.25 W and 2.5" L)
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Place a cooling rack onto of a baking pan lined with baking paper.
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Melt the chocolate chips and the vegetable shortening, until smooth and has a thin consistency.
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Allow the chocolate mix to cool down for few minutes, before coating the bars,otherwise the hot chocolate will melt the cream and create a big mess.
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Using a spoon coat each bar starting with the edges of the each bars and continuing with the center. Gently shake or bang the pan to remove any excess chocolate.
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Using a knife remove the bars from the cooling rack and place on a flat dish lined with a parchment paper. Place the plate in the refrigerator for 5 minutes.
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After 5 minutes, sprinkle the crushed Pepper Mint candy for decoration. Return bars to the refrigerator.
