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A32 FEATURE
Wednesday 6 december 2017
Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are a holiday treat

By SARA MOULTON
Associated Press
If, like me, you’re a fan of
dark chocolate pepper-
mint bark at Christmastime,
you’re going to love these
cookies. Your friends and
family will, too. But you’ll
have to plan ahead be-
cause the batter is so soft it
needs to chill overnight be-
fore scooping.
The main ingredient here
is 1 1/2 pounds of choco-
late, which guarantees
an intensely chocolate-y
flavor. The cookie’s base
is made of a combination
of unsweetened and bit-
tersweet chocolate. After-
ward, additional chunks of
the bittersweet chocolate
— along with the crushed
mint candy — are folded
in.
The key to this recipe’s suc-
cess is good quality bitter-
sweet chocolate — that
is, a brand that contains This November 2017 photo shows chocolate peppermint cookies in New York.
at least 60 percent cacao. Associated Press
The higher the percentage to make them during a sea- 8 tablespoons unsalted coarsely chopped choco- sift together the flour, bak-
of cacao in a chocolate son when peppermint can- butter, cut into tablespoons lates and the butter; set ing powder and salt.
bar, the darker and more dies are scarce, just leave 4 large eggs, at room tem- the bowl over a saucepan Chop the remaining bit-
intense the flavor. That’s them out and add 1 1/2 perature of barely simmering water, tersweet chocolate into
why we’re adding chunks tablespoons of powdered 1 1/2 cups sugar making sure the bottom of chocolate-chip size pieces.
of chocolate instead of espresso. You will end up 2 teaspoons vanilla extract the bowl is not touching the Chop or crush the pepper-
chocolate chips — bitter- with outstanding mocha 60 grams (about 1/2 cup) water, and melt the mix- mint candies into 1/4- to
sweet bar chocolate con- cookies. all-purpose flour ture, stirring often. Remove 1/3-inch pieces.
tains much more cacao Chocolate Peppermint 1/2 teaspoon baking pow- from the heat as soon as Fold the melted chocolate
than most chips. Cookies der all of the chocolate is just mixture into the egg mix-
Chopping the chocolate Start to finish: 1 hour and 45 1/4 teaspoon table salt melted. ture using a large rubber
will take a little time. I rec- minutes, plus 8 hours chill- 1 cup (about 5 ounces) Meanwhile, in a medium spatula. Add the flour mix-
ommend using a serrated ing time hard red-and-white pep- bowl with electric beaters ture and fold it in until it is
knife for the job. Servings: Makes about 3 permint candies (or in a stand mixer), beat just incorporated. Add the
As for crushing the pepper- dozen cookies Coarsely chop one-half of the eggs and sugar on me- chip-size bittersweet choc-
mint candies, the best way 1 pound bittersweet choc- the bittersweet chocolate dium speed until the mix- olate and the peppermint
is to put them in a re-seal- olate and all of the unsweetened ture is very thick and pale, pieces and stir gently, just
able plastic bag and then 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate. In a medium about 10 minutes. Beat in until incorporated. Cover
gently whack away at the chocolate metal bowl combine the the vanilla. In a small bowl and chill the mixture over-
bag with a rolling pin. The night.
easiest way to portion out Preheat the oven to 350 F.
the batter is with a 1-ounce Line 3 large baking sheets
ice-cream scoop rather with parchment paper,
than a spoon — and it’ll scoop out the batter into
make the size of the cook- balls about 1 1/2-inches
ies more consistent, too; just wide (the size of a walnut
dip it in hot water between shell) and arrange them on
each scoop. the baking sheets, leaving
I suggest baking a single an inch of space between
tray of cookies at a time them.
because the cookies don’t Working with one sheet pan
cook evenly when there’s at a time, bake the cookies
more than one tray. Finally, on the middle shelf of the
be careful not to overcook oven for 9 to 11 minutes,
them. The cookies should until they are shiny on top
be soft to the touch when and set around the edges
you pull them out of the but still soft to the touch on
oven. That way they’ll re- top.
main nice and gooey. Let them sit on the sheet
As you might imagine, This November 2017 photo shows chocolate peppermint cookies in New York. The main ingredi- pans for 5 minutes and then
these cookies are delicious ent here is 1 1/2 pounds of chocolate, which guarantees an intensely chocolate-y flavor. transfer them to a rack to
year-round. If you decide Associated Press cool completely.q