If you’re wiley, you may have noticed that Fridays are a bit different around B&B. On Fridays, fashion in scares, and interior design rules. Small spaces, Design Breakdowns, and a zillion lists of inexpensive cookware, lighting, and knick knacks abound.
And sometimes, there’s food.
Today is one of those days.
So I am going to continue addressing you and this situation as though you have not and/or can not read the title of this post. As you can see, I have posted a photo of CHOCOLATE COVERED MYSTERY ITEMS! Let them entice you with their enigmatic charm and obvious chocolatey composition.
You may also have noticed that this is a #FabFound post. That’s right, these have everything to do with the quest Marshalls bestwoed upon me to Find My Fabulous. My sights were set on affordable, comfortable, beautiful items and, well…
If homemade, dark chocolate peppermint patties do not qualify, then I do not want to play.
You know that part of every Marshalls store past all the clothes and shoes? Yes, past the designer beauty & haircare and even past the workout gear & equipment… The home section. They always have that one aisle full of random food products, gourmet mixes, fancy syrups and tonics… and everyone is scared of it.
Everyone is scared of that aisle and it’s the most bittersweet scene. Sweet because, awesome, that means those of us who know that the food products at Marshalls are not expired and totally edible (they are likely to be just be overstock) get to pick up all of the best items for ourselves. The bitter part is that so many people are missing out on opportunities to get ultra-impressive, typically expensive ingredients for only a few bucks.
This time around, I zoned in on the extracts.
These bottles of peppermint and vanilla extracts were $3.99 and $6.99, respectively. That is a steal if you are a big baker like I am, because I go through vanilla extract like toilet paper. I’ve been longing for peppermint extract for ages because I’ve been wanting to recreate one of my favorite candies: York Peppermint Patties.
Finally, I had the chance! This is my first time making them, and I am pleased to say my Frankenstein’d, cut & paste recipe works! Trust me, there is nothing cooler than handing one of these to your friends and subsequently blowing their mind. Thank you, inexpensive extracts and 5’x10′ kitchen! You’ve served me equally well.
Dark Chocolate Peppermint Patties
Makes 2 dozen or so
Based on this recipe by Savory Sweet Life
Ingredients:
Inside:
- 2 ½ c. powdered sugar
(or powdered sucanat or whatever – just make sure it’s sifted and evenly ground!) - ½ c. sweetened condensed milk
(I used stuff I made at home because I do things the hard way – here’s a recipe!) - ½ tbsp. peppermint extract
Outside:
- 3 cups of dark chocolate chips or chipped dark chocolate
(I have definitely used dark chocolate bars from the candy aisle of the corner store, no shame) - 3 tbsp of shortening
(shortening is the best, I tried butter and struggled – lesson learned!)
1. Mix all ingredients together using either a stand mixer (lucky you) or a wooden spoon using your massive muscles. The “dough” will be kind of stiff and a bit cumbersome. I found that lightly kneading it a bit with your hands, once it starts to come together, did help. The original recipe I based this off of says that the dough should be “stiff but pliable.” Will Be Sticky.
2. Roll into ¾” balls (or whatever size, really) and flatten them slightly into disc shapes. I used the back of a heavy-ish measuring cup to make sure that it was an even thickness all the way through, and nice & flat on top. Once you have a bunch of discs on a sheet pan, throw them into the freezer for about 20 minutes.
3. To melt the chocolate, you can either zap it in a microwaveable bowl for 30 second increments until it’s nice & smooth, or you can set up a double boiler and melt it along with the shortening. Stir it around frequently to make sure it all melts evenly. Once it’s smooth, take it off the heat and continue stirring occasionally to keep it smooth and help it cool slightly.
***If your chocolate seizes, aka turns into some kind of chunky, not smooth, thick mess – all is not lost. Well, some is lost. You won’t get that nice, hard shell you hoped & dreamed about. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still coat your candies and hardened them up beautifully! You’ll just have to keep them in the fridge.
Warm up some oil (I use the residual heat from the double boiler to heat up a juice glass full of vegetable oil) and add about 1 tsp. at a time to your messed up chocolate while stirring with a whisk. This should help it loosen up and smooth out. Once it’s back to its normal self, proceed as usual. The only thing you need to remember is to keep these in the fridge! And use a napkin, because they’ll melt faster at room temperature than non-messed-up chocolate.
4. Remove your minty discs from the freezer and get ready to dip! Using a fork, place one disk on the tines and lower it into the melted chocolate. If the chocolate is still warm, it has the ability to loosen up the peppermint disc, so work quickly but patiently. Flip your disc over until it’s fully coated and then set it on a piece of parchment paper or a silpat to set.
Depending on whether or not you messed up your chocolate (LIKE ME, I DID), refrigerate, freeze, or consume en mass! I promise, you will not regret storing these when the heat of summer starts ruining your life. They are so mint and cool, they should be wearing shades.
Fabulous #1: Neon Orange Oxfords
Fabulous #2: Silk Pajama Shirt
Fabulous #3: Sheer White Utility Shirt
Fabulous #4: Lilac Grey Jeggings & Faux Leather Sleeve Tee
Fabulous #5: Dark Chocolate Peppermint Patties
Nice twist at the end there, eh? I thought so. Bam – chocolate in your face! Never saw it comin’.
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