Peppermint Stick Dessert Recipes

PEPPERMINT STICK ICE CREAM WITH HOT FUDGE SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine milk, cream, and 1/2 cup sugar for ice cream in a medium pot over medium heat; bring to a simmer.
• Meanwhile, stir together egg yolks, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and salt in a small bowl.
• Pour some of the hot milk-cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking quickly to avoid scrambling the eggs. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Whisk and cook until custard coats the back of a spoon and does not flow when you run a finger through it, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer custard to a clean bowl and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.
• Remove custard from the refrigerator and stir in peppermint extract and food coloring. Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions, about 20 minutes; add crushed candy canes at the end of the churning time, or right before. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
• Combine cream, corn syrup, and sugar for hot fudge sauce in a medium saucepan. Sift in cocoa powder, stir, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add chocolate, reduce heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until completely melted. Remove from the heat and stir in butter, vanilla, and salt.
• Place a scoop of peppermint ice cream into a bowl, dribble on some hot fudge sauce, and sprinkle with additional crushed candy canes.

WHITE CHOCOLATE BARK WITH PEPPERMINT STICK

Steps:

• Melt the chocolate. Place the peppermint sticks in a heavy, locked plastic bag and crush them fine by whacking and then rolling them with a rolling pin. They should have about the same consistency as crushed ice. When the chocolate is melted, stir in the peppermint oil. Stir in all but 2 tablespoons of the crushed peppermint pieces and spread the mixture out on the cookie sheet, about 1/4-inch thick. It will not fill the pan completely. Sprinkle the reserved peppermint stick over the top. Let set at room temperature until hardened, about 2 hours. (Or, refrigerate for 30 minutes to harden more quickly.) Use your hands to break into pieces. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

PEPPERMINT STICKS

Steps:

• Coat a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, and set aside. Place sugar, corn syrup, and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan. Cover; bring to a boil. Remove lid, and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until syrup registers 305 degrees (hard-crack stage) on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and carefully stir in lemon juice, extract, and food coloring.
• Pour hot syrup onto prepared baking sheet, being careful not to touch syrup. Using a metal spatula coated with cooking spray, fold edges toward the middle (this will help cool the syrup). When it is cool enough to handle but still quite warm, using plastic gloves, strech and pull candy, folding it over onto itself before pulling again, until it is opaque and just starting to firm up, about 10 minutes.
• Immediately pull off pieces to form long pencil-thin ropes. Working quickly, cut into 7-inch lengths with a pair of kitchen scissors. Continue pulling until all candy is used or is no longer pliable.
• Temper chocolate: Heat 2/3 of chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water until chocolate registers 118 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove pan from heat, and add the remaining chocolate; stir with a rubber spatula (avoid using a wooden spoon, which can impart other flavors) until it cools to 84 degrees. Remove any unmelted pieces, and discard. Return bowl to pan, and stir until chocolate reaches 88 to 90 degrees.
• Dip top 3 inches of each pepperment stick in the chocolate, if desired. Allow excess to drip off; set on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and let harden.

EASY PEPPERMINT DESSERT

Steps:

• In medium bowl, mix crushed cookies and 1/2 cup melted butter. Press mixture firmly in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan.
• In large bowl, stir together ice cream and 2 cups of the whipped topping; spoon evenly over cookie crust. Freeze about 3 hours or until firm.
• Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter and the chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly.Stir in sugar; gradually stir in milk. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until slightly thickened; stir in vanilla. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
• Pour 2 cups of the chocolate sauce evenly over ice cream. Freeze at least 8 hours but no longer than 2 weeks. Cover and refrigerate remaining sauce.
• Reheat reserved sauce until just warm. To serve, cut into 5 rows by 3 rows. Top with sauce and remaining whipped topping; sprinkle with crushed candies.