Candy Cane Chocolate Mini Loaves

This recipe also comes from the December issue of Taste of Home magazine. The author suggested using left over candy canes for this special treat. That's certainly a wonderful idea. However, I love the idea of making these mini loaves and giving them out as Christmas gifts. What a wonderful expression of love and thoughtfulness to give something you made yourself.

I suggest melting the white chocolate for the topping in the microwave. Place it in a microwave-safe bowl and heat at 30 seconds intervals until melted. Be sure to stir after each 30 seconds, as the chocolate may not always look melted when it really is.

Again, I hope you'll take time to purchase Taste of Home magazine and treat yourself to other amazing recipes. This is just the best cooking magazine around.

Candy Cane Chocolate Mini Loaves

1/4 cup butter, softened
1 2/3 cups packed brown sugar
4 large egg whites, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup (6 oz.) miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coast eight 5 3/4 x 3 x 2-inch loaf pans with cooking spray.

Beat butter and sugar until crumbling, about 2 minutes. Add egg whites, eggs, coffee, yogurt, oil and extracts.

In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add to brown sugar mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Transfer to prepared pans. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Topping

2 oz. white baking chocolate, melted
3 tablespoons crushed candy canes

Drizzle melted white baking chocolate over loaves. Sprinkle with crushed candies.

Candy Cane Cake

This recipe comes from the December issue of Country Living magazine. It has many wonderful recipes and a section on vintage toys and ornaments. I especially loved that. I hope you enjoy the Candy Cake Cake and that you take time to check out Country Living magazine.

I Do recommend that you not use substitutions in the ingredients.  For example, don't substitute regular all-purpose flour for cake flour or margarine for real butter. The same is true for using imitation vanilla flavoring instead of pure vanilla flavoring. Sometimes those substitutions don't matter but cakes just taste better when you use the real stuff.

Candy Cane Cake

3 1/2 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
6 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Lightly grease three 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment. Grease parchment. (I use waxed paper instead of parchment paper.)

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high until pale and fluffy. It takes about 3-4 minutes. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, alternately, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat only until just combined.

Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes, then invert onto racks to cool completely.

7-Minute Frosting

4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon corn syrup

Bring 2 inches water to a gentle simmer in the bottom of a double-boiler. Place egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, salt, water and corn syrup into the top boiler.. Place boiler over saucepan and cook, whisking on low speed with a hand mixer, until mixture registers 160 degrees on a candy thermometer. This takes 8-9 minutes.

Remove top pan and continue to whisk on medium speed until thick, glossy peaks form. This takes 2-3 minutes.

Assembling and Decorating

3 candy canes, crushed (about 1/4 cup)
Store-bought peppermint bark, roughly chopped


Place one cake layer on a cake stand or plate. Top with 1 cup frosting and sprinkle with half of the crushed candy canes. Place second cake layer on top of that and top with 1 cup frosting and the remainder of the crushed candy canes.

Cover top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Press peppermint bark into the frosting on the sides of the cake.

Peppermint Melt Away Cookies

I do realize that it is March. Seriously. I do. But I uncovered this holiday recipe booklet from Publix the other day and realized that one of the reasons I saved it was this recipe. (The other reason is a quiche recipe to be shared another day.)

For those of you who don't know, I started this blog to not only share recipes with others but to also be able to find recipes I love more easily. I LOVE my cookbooks. I ADORE my magazines that include wonderful recipes. But finding them later can be a challenge. For me anyway.

So even though it's March, these cookies sound fabulous! Besides, anytime is a good time for peppermint!

 

Peppermint Melt-Away Cookies

Pam Original Canola Spray
1 8-oz. package cream cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
large zip-top bag
1 cup starlight mints (or candy canes), finely crushed
1 large egg (or 1/4 cup egg substitute)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 16.5-oz. box Duncan Hines Class White Cake Mix, divided
1 cup Nestle Premier White Toll House Morsels

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat baking sheets with spray. Cut cream cheese and butter into small pieces; place in large bowl to soften. Crush mints in zip-top bag using metal mallet.

Add egg, vanilla extract, and 1/2 of the cake mix to the cream cheese and butter mixture. Mix with electric mixer 1 to 2 minutes or until thoroughly blended. Stir in remaining half of cake mix, along with the white chocolate morsels and 1/2 cup of the mints until blended. Place remaining 1/2 cup mints in shallow bowl.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls and press tops of dough into mints. Place on baking sheets, mint side up and 2 inches apart. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden and center is barely set. Let stand 3 to 4 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool.

Makes approximately 48 cookies.

Peppermint Chocolate Cake

I love the combination of peppermint and chocolate. It’s just so festive and luscious. This recipe comes from the December 2012 issue of Woman’s Day magazine. If you decide to make the Peppermint Meringues, you’ll find the recipe on this site as well.

Peppermint Chocolate Cake

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups unsweetened cocoa
2 ¼ cups granulated sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
2 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ cups whole milk
¾ cup canola oil
3 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
1 ¼ cups boiling water
20 mini candy canes
3 8oz. Packages cream cheese, at room temperature
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1-lb. box confectioners’ sugar
Peppermint meringues for decorating (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat three 8 x 2-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper; spray the paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, eggs and peppermint extract. Mix the milk mixture into the flour mixture until fully incorporated. Mix in the boiling water (the batter will be thin).

Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pans before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, crush the candy canes and make the icing. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Place one cake layer on a platter. Spread 1 ¼ cups icing over the top. Top with another layer and 1 ¼ cups icing. Top with the last cake layer. Frost sides and top with the remaining icing. Gently pat the crushed candy canes all over the sides of the cake. Top with meringues (if using).

Makes 16 servings.

Peppermint Meringues

What a wonderful gift these would make! They’d also be great for decorations or just to eat all by themselves. This recipe comes from the December 2012 issue of Woman’s Day magazine.

Peppermint Meringues

2 large egg whites
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
Red gel or paste food coloring

Heat oven to 200 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large metal or glass bowl, whisk together the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar. Set the bowl over (but not in) a saucepan of simmering water and cook. Whisking constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the whites are very warm to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and, using an electric mixer, beat on low speed, gradually increasing the speed to high, until soft glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes. Beat in the peppermint.

Transfer 1 tablespoon meringue mixture to a small bowl and tint red. Using a paintbrush or a skewer and the red meringue mixture, paint 3 vertical stripes in a pastry bag fitted with a ¾-inch star pastry tip.

Carefully spook the white egg white mixture into the piping bag, being careful not to smear the red meringue. Pipe small stars (about ¾ inch) onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake the meringues until just set on the outside, 20 to 30 minutes. Slide the sheets of parchment paper onto wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 9 dozen.

Peppermint Dream Pie

Got this recipe from the Dixie Crystals website. It looked so yummy, I just had to share it.

Peppermint Dream Pie

Crust

½ cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons Dixie® Confectioners Powdered Sugar
1 ½ cups chocolate wafer crumbs
(You can also cheat and use a ready chocolate crust from the store.)

Cream 1/2 cup butter with 3 tablespoons powdered sugar.


Mix with 1 1/2 cup chocolate wafer crumbs

Pat into pie pan and chill.


Filling

1 package gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
3 egg whites (beaten stiff and dry)
1 cup heavy whipped cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup crushed peppermint stick candy, loosely packed
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

Soften gelatin in cold water and dissolve over hot water.


Beat egg whites until stiff and fold in the sugar gradually.

Combine the gelatin with the egg whites.

Fold in whipped cream, flavoring, and crushed candy.

Pour into crumb crust and chill for one to two hours.


Decorations
Crushed peppermints
Round peppermints
Sweetened heavy whipped cream
Chocolate for molding into leaves
Mint sprig

Chocolate Leaves


Select either plastic or real leaves as your mold. If you use real leaves, be careful to select non-poisonous leaves. Good examples are rose leaves or lemon leaves. Wash and dry thoroughly. Make sure to leave the stem on so you can peel the leaf off when the chocolate is hardened. Plastic leaves work well too.

Melt your chocolate in a double boiler.

Using a pastry brush, spread your chocolate over the underside of the leaf all the way to the edges. Keep the thickness to about 1/8".

Put the leaves on a wax or parchment paper-lined tray and put the tray into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes until the chocolate hardens.

When you are ready to decorate the pie, carefully peel off the leaf from the chocolate. Try not to handle the chocolate too much, as the warmth from your fingers will melt the chocolate.

Makes one 9-inch pie.