Peppermint Creams
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Makes about 30
·
Ready in 1 hr, plus setting time
Ingredient
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350g caster sugar
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1 tbsp liquid glucose a pinch of cream of tartar
1 tbsp liquid
glucose a pinch of cream of tartar
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1 tsp peppermint extract icing sugar, for dusting
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200g dark chocolate, chopped crystallised mint leaves, to
decorate
200g
dark chocolate
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You’ll also need: sugar thermometer; 3cm square or round cookie
cutters
Recipe
1. Tip the caster
sugar into a small saucepan and add the liquid glucose, cream of tartar and
100ml water. Slowly heat the mixture to dissolve the sugar, stirring from time
to time. Pop the sugar thermometer into the pan, bring to the boil and continue
to cook steadily until the syrup reaches 114C/238F/Gas ½. Remove from the heat,
pour into a medium-sized bowl, add the peppermint extract and leave to cool at
room temperature for 15-20 mins, until the mixture has thickened with a skin
covering the surface.
2. Using a
hand-held electric mixer, beat the syrup until it thickens and becomes a
smooth, thick, white paste. This will take about 3-5 mins at slow-medium speed.
You may need to turn the fondant out of the bowl once it starts to become very
thick and dough-like and knead by hand until silky smooth and cold. Flatten the
fondant into a disc, cover with cling-film and chill for a few hours or
overnight.
3. When ready to
continue, lightly dust the work surface with icing sugar and roll the fondant
out to a thickness of 2-3mm. Using the cookie cutter, stamp out rounds or
squares and place these on a parchment-lined tray. Gather the offcuts
together, knead until smooth and re-roll and stamp out more shapes. Pop the
tray in the fridge to chill for 20 mins while you melt the chocolate.
4. If you want your
peppermint creams to have a more professional air about them, follow the
instructions for tempering chocolate (see Cook’s Tip). Otherwise, simply melt
the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, making
sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Stir until smooth, remove
the bowl from the pan and cool slightly.
5. Using a dipping
or dinner fork, submerge one fondant shape at a time into the melted chocolate,
lift out and tap the fork on the side of the bowl to allow the excess chocolate
to drip back into the bowl. Carefully place a peppermint cream on a clean sheet
of parchment, gently press the tines of the fork into the chocolate to make
ridges on the surface and scatter with crystallised mint leaves. Repeat with
the remaining fondant shapes. Leave the creams to set firm before serving. To
store, the creams will keep in a cool place for 1-2 weeks in an airtight box
between layers of baking parchment.
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Per serving: 90 cals, 2.2g fat
Peppermint Creams
