Homemade After Dinner Mints Recipes

OLD-FASHIONED BUTTER MINTS

Steps:

• To the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter and salt and beat for 1 minute on medium-high speed.
• Add 3 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, milk, peppermint, and beat on medium-low speed until a dough forms. If the dough seems wet, add additional confectioners' sugar until dough combines (I use 3 1/2 cups sugar). The dough will be crumbly but will come together when pinched and squeezed into a ball.
• Taste the batter. If you want a more intense mint flavor, add additional mint extract, to taste (see note below).
• Remove dough from the mixer, separate it into 1 to 4 smaller balls, and add one ball back into the mixer. Add the food coloring of your choice to the ball by squirting the droplets on top of the dough (careful when you turn on the mixer), and paddle on low speed until coloring is well-blended. Coloring will not blend completely into each and every speck of dough if examined extremely closely, but overall, mix until color is uniform. (I separated approximately two-thirds of the dough and made it green using about 15 drops green food coloring and made one-third of the dough red-pink by using about 7 drops red food coloring).
• Wash the mixing bowl and the paddle in between each color change and repeat until all the balls are colored.
• After the dough has been colored, either wrap it with plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator to be rolled out later or roll it immediately.
• To shape the butter mints, place a golf-ball sized amount of dough in your hands and roll dough into long thin cylinders about 1 centimeter wide. Place cylinders on countertop and with a pizza cutter (or knife - be careful of your counter), slice cylinders into bite-sized pieces, approximately 1 centimeter long.
• Store mints in an airtight container in the refrigerator where they will keep for many weeks.

HOMEMADE BUTTER MINTS & CHOCOLATE BUTTER MINTS

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, combine the soft butter and salt. Beat for a moment to combine. Add the condensed milk and beat again to combine. Add the powdered sugar a cup at a time, beating to combine thoroughly. Add the peppermint, taste and adjust as needed. The dough will be mostly crumbs, but should stick together when squeezed into a ball. It should not be sticky at all.
• Remove the dough from the mixer and pull off golf ball size sections. (At this point, you can also wrap the dough tightly and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to roll them out.) Roll each ball out into a long skinny strip about 1/2" in diameter. Slice the strips into tiny mint-size pieces. I used a pizza cutter to easily roll back and forth and slice them quickly.
• Alternative method (for the impatient): Roll the dough out to approximately 1/4" thick. Use a knife or pizza cutter to slice the dough into 1/2" (or smaller) squares. They might not be as cute or as authentic looking, but it will only take a couple minutes to cut out all of the mints.
• Spread the soft pieces across a baking sheet and allow them to sit at room temperature overnight. You could speed up the process and put them in the refrigerator uncovered. Mine were fine on the counter though. When they have hardened enough to store, transfer the mints to an airtight container. Enjoy!

BUTTER MINTS

Steps:

• Combine butter and 2 cups sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until sugar is moistened, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until well combined. Return mixer to low speed, add remaining 2 cups sugar, and mix until well combined, 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high; beat until light and fluffy, 6 minutes more. Add peppermint extract, milk, and salt; beat until smooth.
• Lightly dust a clean work surface with confectioners' sugar and turn out "dough" onto it. Divide into 5 pieces; tint as desired with food coloring, leaving one piece white. (Keep covered with plastic wrap while working to prevent drying.)
• Roll "dough" into 1/2-inch-thick ropes, then cut into pieces slightly over 1/2 inch long with a paring knife or bench scraper. Transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Let dry, uncovered, at least 12 hours. Mints can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

BUTTER MINTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the butter, confectioners' sugar, cream and extracts. If desired, divide dough into portions and knead in food coloring. , Form into balls by teaspoonfuls; flatten into patties, or roll between 2 pieces of waxed paper to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut mints into desired shapes. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Store in the refrigerator.

HOMEMADE MINTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and mint extract until smooth. Gradually beat in as much confectioners' sugar as possible; knead in remaining confectioners' sugar. , Divide mixture into four portions. Tint one pink, one green and one yellow, leaving one portion white. For each color, shape into 1/2-in. balls. Dip one side of each ball into sugar. Press sugared side into small candy molds; unmold and place on waxed paper. Let stand 1 hour or until dry before storing in airtight containers; refrigerate. May be stored for up to 1 week before serving.

AFTER DINNER MINTS

Steps:

• In a small pan on medium heat, melt carob chips. Add mint oil. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of melted carob and mint oil into bottom of confection candy cups. Chill 10 minutes. Keep refrigerated.

AFTER-DINNER MINT CREAM

Steps:

• Put the mascarpone, double cream, caster sugar and sherry in a bowl and whisk until thick enough to hold its shape. Break 200g of the after-dinner mints into small pieces, then beat these into the cream mixture. Spoon into tiny glasses or bowls and chill until needed. Add 1 more thin after-dinner mint to each dessert before serving

AFTER DINNER MINTS

Steps:

• Soften the butter,
• Blend in cream cheese, icing sugar and peppermint essence.
• Roll into small balls, press flat with the palm of your hand.
• Place in the freezer until firm and then coat with melted chocolate.
• Store in freezer.

CHOCOLATE AFTER-DINNER MINT PARFAITS

Steps:

• Chocolate Mousse: Place the gelatine in cold water to soften and set aside; melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, stir until smooth, then set aside to cool slightly. In an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar on a medium-high speed for 5 minutes or until thick and pale. Drain the softened gelatine and place in a pan over a very low heat. When melted, slowly add the liquid gelatine to the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Stir in the melted chocolate, then fold in the whipped cream. Divide the mousse among 8 3/4-cup (185ml) serving glasses. Chill for 30 minutes or until set.
• Mint Mousse: Bring the milk and sugar to the boil in a pan, add the mint, then remove from the heat, cover with a tea towel and allow it to infuse for 15 minutes. Meanwhile soften and melt the gelatine as above, then add to the milk mixture. Strain the mixture, pressing down well the mint leaves. Cool completely, then fold in the whipped cream. Pour into the serving glasses on top of the chocolate mousse layer. Chill for 1-2 hours or until set.
• Chocolate Ganache: Bring the cream to the boil in a pan. Place grated chocolate then pour the hot cream over it and stir until smooth. Allow to cool, then pour the ganache over the mint mousse and chill for a further 1-2 hours. Serve garnished with a fresh mint leaf.

AFTER DINNER MINTS

Steps:

• Lightly spray baking sheet. Place sugar, water, corn syrup, butter and salt in a large saucepan. Cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until it reaches 270 degrees F. (When a small amount is dropped in ice water it will form threads that will bend.) Take off heat, let stand until it stops bubbling.
• Pour the mixture onto prepared cookie sheet and let stand for 5 minutes, or until cool. Drizzle peppermint flavoring and food coloring over candy. Dip fingers in cornstarch and pull candy straight without twisting. Keep on folding and stretching until it looks creamy. Stretch candy into a 1/2 inch rope.Pour powdered sugar into the baking pan. Cut the candy into 1/2 inch pieces and toss in sugar to coat. let stand overnight.