Peppermint Patties
Mint and chocolate is probably my favorite flavor combo. Junior Mints, Thin Mints, Andes, Peppermint Patties...always my top choice back in the day. I was trying to come up with something festive and different to make for Christmas this year, and THIS is what popped into the ol' brain. I've gifted some out, ate a lot, and will be bringing them as a treat to our (one of 5) Christmas gatherings.
PATTIE INGREDIENTS
Makes ~24 patties
2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup coconut oil + 1 Tablespoon, reserved)
1/4 cup raw crystalized honey* (I used this brand)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (I used this)
1 - 3.5 ounce bar of dark chocolate (70% or higher—go for fair trade and organic if you can)
*A couple notes on ingredients: I use crystalized honey here because it is solid and thick and lends itself well to this recipe. I have not tried it with spreadable thinner honey, so cannot speak to whether or not that would hold up for this recipe. A
Also: you might be able to use peppermint essential oil instead of peppermint extract, but I'm just not exactly sure what the ratio would be.
INSTRUCTIONS
Dump the coconut into a food processor and process until it begins to get crumbly and look like this.
Then add 1/4 cup coconut oil. Keep processing until the mixture begins to smooth out and form a paste. It will look a lil' sumthin like this.
Now add the honey, vanilla and peppermint. Keep processing until everything is fully mixed up (you don't want a random glob of honey or peppermint hot spot). I let it run for about a minute or two.
Using a tablespoon to scoop the mixture, fill it up about halfway to make rounded balls. Flatten into patties and mold with your hands onto a piece of (bleach-free) parchment paper.
You can skip the parchment paper and use a baking sheet instead, but only if you're a masochist and want to have a hissy fit in 30 minutes time as you try to scrape frozen coconut glue from the baking sheet and watch your treats crumble and whither away, never to be enjoyed by anyone ever. Up to you.
At this point, transfer them into the freezer (use something solid—like a cutting board or baking sheet—under the parchment paper to transfer). They will firm up in about 30 minutes.
When the patties are almost ready, make the chocolate coating. If you don't have a double boiler, fashion one up yourself using a pot and a bowl. Place a couple inches of water in the pot, then set a large enough bowl on top that it doesn't sink into the pot. You can see my contraption here—literally a hot mess.
Break up the chocolate bar into smallish pieces and put into the bowl. Add the tablespoon of coconut oil. Bring the water to a boil, and stir the chocolate mixture with a spatula until it's fully melted. Turn the heat off and DO NOT REMOVE THE BOWL FROM THE POT. Steam burns are no fun, so let's keep that steam right where it is
Remove frozen patties from the freezer, and coat them with chocolate by dropping them one at a time into the melted chocolate mixture. I usually use my hands for this part, but you can get more creative if you want. If you end up with weird marks from your fingers, just use the spatula or a spoon to rub some chocolate on them and cover it up.
Transfer the rack of patties back into the freezer for another 20-30 minutes. Once they're set, store in the refrigerator. Keep these cold right up until serving time.
