Peppermint Cream Bars Recipes

PEPPERMINT BARS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare brownie mix as directed on package. Spread in greased foil-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan.
• 2. Bake 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out almost clean. Cool in pan on wire rack.
• 3. Meanwhile, beat confectioners' sugar, 7 tablespoons of the butter, cream and peppermint extract in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended and smooth. Spread evenly over cooled brownie. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• 4. Microwave chocolate and remaining 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter in large microwave bowl on HIGH 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Spread over top of chilled brownie. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies, if desired. Cut into bars.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing 2 inches of paper to hang over the sides.
• Make the shortbread: In a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Add butter and process until a smooth dough forms. Press dough evenly into the bottom of prepared baking pan. Bake until firm to the touch, and sides of the crust are beginning to pull away from the pan, about 25 minutes. Cool completely.
• Make the filling: In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine confectioners' sugar, butter, cream and peppermint extract. Beat until mixture forms a thick, smooth paste. Press filling evenly over shortbread. Chill to set the filling for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Use parchment paper overhang to lift the shortbread and peppermint out of the baking pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into 1 1/2-inch squares (there should be 36 squares). Place squares on a rack placed over a parchment-lined sheet tray, and let them come to room temperature for about 15 minutes.
• In the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt 7 ounces chocolate, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat, add remaining 2 ounces chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes.
• Add coconut oil, if using, and stir the chocolate until smooth. Spoon 1 teaspoon chocolate on top of a cut peppermint square, using the back of the spoon to spread chocolate to the edges. Be sure to fully cover the top of the square with chocolate. (Leave the sides exposed, though it's O.K. if some of the chocolate drips down.) Repeat with remaining squares.
• Let squares sit at room temperature until chocolate is set, at least 1 hour.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BARS

Steps:

• For Layer#1:.
• Melt chocolate and butter, stirring frequently.
• Cream eggs and sugar; add flour and chocolate mixture.
• Mix well and spread in 8x8 pan.
• Bake at 350F for 20 min; turn oven off and bake 5 min more.
• Let cool.
• For Layer#2:.
• Cream sugar and butter together.
• Blend in cream and extract.
• Spread on cooled crust layer and refrigerate until chilled.
• For Layer#3:.
• Melt chocolate and butter together; pour over peppermint layer.
• Chill& cut into small squares (this is rich!).

PEPPERMINT CREAM BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 and line a 13x9 pan with tin foil extended over sides. Grease tin foil.
• FOR CRUST: Combine cookie mix and flour, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Press into greased pan and bake for about 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned (mine never quite made it to brown, so I just gave up after about 18 minutes, they turned out fine).
• MIDDLE LAYER: (make this while crust is baking) Whisk together egg yolks, sweetened, condensed milk, and peppermint extract (I just did it for about a minute until everything looked fully combined) Stir in the crushed peppermints. Once the crust is done, pour mixture over it as carefully and evenly as possible and bake for about 20-25 minutes. Once done, let cool on counter for about an hour and chill in fridge for another 30 minutes (it's a long process but SO GOOD! I promise!).
• WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE: Heat heavy whipping cream just to boiling, remove from heat and add white chocolate chips DON'T STIR YET! Let sit for five minutes, stir together until smooth (I assume if you use really good white chocolate this process will be a lot easier, but my cheap chips were stubborn so I had to stir for a long time to get all the little suckers melted together) Pour over cooled bars, spread evenly. Put back in fridge for another hour (I took them out after about 40 minutes because I couldn't stand it anymore!) until set. Cut into bars (makes about 36).