Sweet sweet peppermint patties

There's nothing quite like making homemade chocolates. The gratification that comes from making a delicate little sweet with your own hands and have it taste better than what you could buy. It's rewarding and feels good. I don't make a lot of sweets or desserts because, well, than I'd I'd have to eat it. But it's nice to have a few back pocket recipes, to pull out and make for special occasions, dinner parties or when your day needs a little sweetening.


The moment I saw Cascadia Kitchen's recipe for peppermint patties I knew I'd have to make these for myself. As a kid when I was old enough to pick out my favorite ice cream, I often went for mint chocolate chip. As I got older it was Junior Mints, than Ritter Sport's peppermint chocolate bar. Yes, it's been one long continuum of love for peppermint and chocolate.

These peppermint patties turned out just as well as I imagined they would... with a wonderfully smooth and creamy filling that you'll never find in a Junior Mint. Because coconut oil turns from solid to liquid when its warm, they really do melt in your mouth. To dress these up, you can sprinkle a little coconut on the top of each patty. If you're feeling comfortable and like to improvise, try different kinds of toppings like dried cranberries, candied ginger or citrus zest.


Homemade Peppermint Patties (makes 24 patties, 1 1/2 inches in diameter)
From Cascadia Kitchen

Ingredients
1 cup of organic coconut oil
1/2 cup of honey
1/4 cup of organic unsweetened shredded coconut
2 teaspoons peppermint oil
1/2 bag of dark chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli chocolate chips, 60% cacao)

Directions
In a medium sized bowl, beat together the coconut oil, honey and peppermint oil until well blended and smooth. Stir in the coconut.Refrigerate until fairly firm (30 minutes or so) or set in the freezer for a short period.

Using a small scoop or 2 small spoons, scoop the mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet and flatten them a bit to make a patty shape.

To make a nice smooth shaped patty, I take a flat bottomed glass, filled with a little warm water, and use it to flatten the mixture into little disks. The warmth in the glass is enough to melt the mixture just enough to allow the glass to lift off cleanly.

Place the baking sheet with the patties into the fridge or freezer while you melt the chocolate.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler and then allow to cool slightly.

Remove the patties from the fridge or freezer. Dip them into the melted chocolate and then return them to the parchment lined baking sheet.

If you'd like you can sprinkle a little coconut on the top of each patty. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy!