When I needed to bake something for a colleague's going away party, I decided to try Melissa Clark's recipe for Chocolate Peppermint Bars because they seemed like they would be easy to make and be real crowd pleasers. These bars have a layer of chocolate shortbread on the bottom, a sweet minty filling in the middle, and a bittersweet chocolate glaze on top.
I multiplied the recipe by 1.5 and baked it in a 9-inch by 13-inch pan. I made the shortbread in the food processor by mixing flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and cubed cold butter (the recipe didn't specify the temperature of the butter you should use, but I just assumed it should be cold since it was going into the food processor and not a mixer). I pressed the dough into a parchment-lined pan and put it in the oven. I checked the crust after 25 minutes and it seemed too soft, so I baked it for an extra five minutes.
After the crust was completely cool, I spread on the mint filling made from powdered sugar, softened butter, cream, and peppermint extract. I chilled the bars for a couple of hours to set the filling and then cut the bars into 1.5-inch squares. With the first cut I noticed a problem right away. The chocolate crust had an odd texture that was nothing like buttery shortbread, but instead crispy and friable. Bits of crust were breaking off with almost every cut. But I did the best I could and then used a stiff plastic spatula to spread a thin layer of chocolate glaze on each piece. I made the glaze by melting Cacao Barry extra bitter 64% Guayaquil and adding a little bit of coconut oil. The chocolate glaze set nicely.
The bars looked a little messy because of the uneven crusts and sloppy glaze. But they were still attractive enough and a big hit at the party. I love York peppermint patties and these bars delivered the same delightful refreshing sensation, without being overly sweet. The balance of mint and chocolate was just perfect. I really enjoyed the crispy texture of base -- which made these bars seem more candylike -- but the bars would have been a heck of a lot easier to cut and much neater to eat if the base hadn't been so crumbly. Crumbly or not, these squares were delicious.
Recipe: "Chocolate Peppermint Bars" from The New York Times.
Previous Posts:
I multiplied the recipe by 1.5 and baked it in a 9-inch by 13-inch pan. I made the shortbread in the food processor by mixing flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and cubed cold butter (the recipe didn't specify the temperature of the butter you should use, but I just assumed it should be cold since it was going into the food processor and not a mixer). I pressed the dough into a parchment-lined pan and put it in the oven. I checked the crust after 25 minutes and it seemed too soft, so I baked it for an extra five minutes.
After the crust was completely cool, I spread on the mint filling made from powdered sugar, softened butter, cream, and peppermint extract. I chilled the bars for a couple of hours to set the filling and then cut the bars into 1.5-inch squares. With the first cut I noticed a problem right away. The chocolate crust had an odd texture that was nothing like buttery shortbread, but instead crispy and friable. Bits of crust were breaking off with almost every cut. But I did the best I could and then used a stiff plastic spatula to spread a thin layer of chocolate glaze on each piece. I made the glaze by melting Cacao Barry extra bitter 64% Guayaquil and adding a little bit of coconut oil. The chocolate glaze set nicely.
Recipe: "Chocolate Peppermint Bars" from The New York Times.
Previous Posts:
- "The Girl Scouts Have Some Real Competition: Homemade Thin Mints," March 22, 2018.
- "Festively Fudgy and Minty Fresh: Grasshopper Bars," April 7, 2016.
- "Baked Sunday Mornings: Wintermint Cake," December 21, 2014.
- "Baked Sunday Mornings: Chewy Chocolate Mint Cookies with Chocolate Chunks," August 17, 2014.
- "Bad Deeds Inspire Good Cake: The Naughty Senator," February 28, 2014.
- "Save One For Your Mouth: Chocolate-Andes Mint Drops," October 13, 2012.
- "My Cake Has a New Set of Clothes: Grasshopper Cake," January 24, 2012.
- "Baked Sunday Mornings: Grasshopper Bars," August 14, 2011.
- "A Dish Best Served Cold: Chocolate Mint Thumbprints," March 24, 2011.
Comments