Chocolate Mint Melt-Aways

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05

Title: Chocolate Mint Melt-Aways
Categories: Cookies
Yield: 36 servings

Cookies:
1 c Butter, unsalted; room temp
2 ts Vanilla extract
1/2 ts Peppermint extract
= naturaly flavored
1/2 c Powdered sugar, plus 2 t.
2 c Flour, all-purpose
Ganache:
1/4 c Whipping cream, plus 2 t.
2 tb Butter, unsalted
9 oz White chocolate; chopped
1/4 ts Peppermint extract
Coating:
9 oz Bittersweet chocolate
Or semisweet
1 tb Vegetable shortening

Recipe by: Bon Appetit, Dec. 1990
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 sheets. 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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