Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cremes

Do you know that thing that happens when you have intricately envisioned exactly what your Christmas packages are going to look like weeks in advance, only to be foiled by the pathetic selection of sparkly yarn?  Oh good, I knew you would understand. 

Package-wrapping is my game, and every year a lot of thought and planning goes into my gift-wrapping situation.  Unfortunately, after visiting three stores I gave up on finding the sparkly yarn I had used last year and have resorted to using metallic tape for my package bling.  One way or another, Christmas must have sparkle.  

Anyways...  It seems as though every blogger is throwing cookies, cakes, and peppermint everything at us right now.  You can either hate it or love it, but I am definitely jumping on the Christmas bandwagon.

Let’s cover the world in crushed peppermints!  Never mind, that sounds far too sticky.  Let’s just cover our chocolate-dipped peppermint cremes instead.

Yes, yes, you can certainly buy these in a bag.  They would probably even be wrapped up in cliche Christmas-colored foil too, but would they taste anywhere close to as amazing as homemade peppermint cremes?  No, they would not.  

The good news is, that these peppermint cremes are super simple to make at home. 

Confectioner’s sugar, butter, cream, and peppermint extract.  Look at you making your own candy...you’re so fancy.  

These peppermint cremes store best in the freezer, which makes them fantastic for whipping out when those last minute guests drop by.

Christmas is so close and I still have so many packages to wrap and glittery nail polish to wear.  I hope you are enjoying every moment.

Happy Wednesday! 

Sincerely, 

  Pedantic Foodie 

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Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cremes

 makes about 40 

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream 
• 3 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract 
• 10 ounces dark chocolate 
• 1/4 cup crushed peppermint candies

Place a baking sheet in the freezer to chill.  

In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter on low speed until fluffy.  Add confectioner’s sugar slowly, in 1/4 cup increments, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Add heavy cream and peppermint extract.  

The creme filling should look somewhat crumbly at this point.  To test, remove a small portion and squeeze it into a ball.  If it holds the shape then it is just right, if it is still too crumbly you can add a bit more cream.  

Portion the filling into 0.25 ounce balls and flatten with the palm of your hand.  Transfer the discs to the freezer for 10 minutes.  While the discs are chilling prepare the chocolate. 

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or microwave at 30 second increments, stirring after each, until the chocolate is smooth and melted.

Flip the chilled baking sheet so that it is upside down and lay a sheet of parchment paper on the top.  

Dip each disc of filling in melted chocolate, working quickly, and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Sprinkle the top of each candy with crushed peppermints before the chocolate sets up.  The discs will probably start to warm up before you can finish dipping them all.  I like to keep half of them in the freezer while I dip the first half.  

When all the discs have been dipped in chocolate, transfer the sheet pan to the refrigerator for 15 minutes, or until the chocolate is completely set.  

Serve immediately or store in zip top bags in the freezer.  Enjoy! 

Colonial Spiced Hot Chocolate

We have officially entered the bright, bustling world of December.  It’s filled with gift guides, Christmas cards, and post office lines, and though it’s a wonderful world to live in, it can be a bit overwhelming. 

It is important to take some moments for yourself and enjoy the lovely luminance of the Christmas tree that you have so diligently adorned.  Relax, breathe, wrap a few gifts if you like, and sip on a cup of chocolate.

Once upon a time, before Howard Shultz and flavored lattes, men would sit around large, sturdy tables, sipping on mugs of chocolate.  

It was not the chocolate-flavored powder sprinkled with tiny marshmallows that we know today.  It was a smooth, rich, drinkable chocolate spiked with warm cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne. 

(Yes, cayenne.  Yes, it’s amazing.) 

Fast forward to modern day and our passionate forefathers would likely be very disappointed with what America has done to the humble cup of chocolate.

Hot chocolate is such a treat and yet it is often so disappointing.  I want my hot chocolate to be rich, a dessert in and of itself - not a thin, chocolate flavored water concoction. 

So we look to colonial ingenuity to find the perfect cup of cocoa.  The first and most important element is, of course, the chocolate.  Seventy percent dark, to be precise.  Rich whole milk, a little bit of sugar, and a few spices to add warmth and kick.

This hot chocolate is best served with large spoonfuls of whipped cream and good company. 

I hope you will take some time to sit down by your Christmas tree with your sweetheart to enjoy a cup of American heritage.

(Yes, this cup of American heritage was completely copied from the Aztecs, but does it really matter?  I think not.)

Let’s grab a hold of this December and appreciate every, wonderful, stressful moment.

Sincerely, 

   Pedantic Foodie

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Colonial Spiced Hot Chocolate 

makes 4 small servings or 2 large

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4.5 ounces dark chocolate (70%), roughly chopped 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• pinch of ground cayenne* 
• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat heavy cream on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.  Reserve for later use.  

Pour milk into a small saucepan and place over medium heat.  Heat until the milk is steaming and then add the sugar; stir until dissolved.  

Add chopped chocolate to hot milk mixture and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the chocolate is fully melted.  Add spices and cook for an additional 2 minutes and remove from heat.  

Pour into mugs or teacups, whatever fits your style, and top with whipped cream.  Enjoy!  

* The amount of cayenne is up to you.  I like my chocolate on the spicier side, but I would definitely recommend adding it slowly and tasting as you go until you get it to where you want it.  Too much cayenne can be a painful thing...

Chocolate Custard Pecan Pie with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

My iPhone “Notes” application is filled with roughly 157 notes, most of which contain strings of words which eventually materialize into the recipes you find on this blog.  Inspiration is sporadic, and my notes are often random lines such as “Chocolate Cream Pie + Cinnamon Whipped Cream + Pecan Pie?”  Oh the wonderful things you can think of when you are supposed to be replying to emails...

After some highly technical recipe-investigating, and a whole lot of butter, that electronic note became a tangible, edible reality. 

If you are not a stranger to this blog you know that this is about the time when I would offer a friendly lecture on how you should never, ever, ever, use a store-bought pie crust.  I highly doubt that I need to repeat that lecture, because I think we are all clear on the fact that store-bought pie crusts are evil and I am sure that none of you would ever consider bringing one into your home, right?  Good, we can now proceed.  

This pie begins with a traditional pecan filling.  Our pecans are roasted with cloves and cinnamon, given a rough chop, and covered in an irresistibly sticky mixture of corn syrup, egg yolks, butter, and sugar.  This is the first layer of our pie.

Next, we prepare our chocolate filling.  This custard uses both dutch-processed cocoa powder and semisweet chocolate to provide it with the rich chocolate flavor which will perfectly counteract the sweetness of the pecan layer.

Lastly, a spoonful of cream whipped with cinnamon tops our pie, completing the perfect triad of flavors and textures. 

I think this pie should make it to all of our Thanksgiving tables this year. 

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday filled with family, pies, and lots of mashed potatoes.  

Sincerely, 

   Pedantic Foodie

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Chocolate Custard Pecan Pie with Cinnamon Whipped Cream 

serves 10 / recipe slightly adapted from Joy the Baker, Tyler Florence, and The Four and Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book

for the crust 

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup cold, unsalted butter (cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 
• 1/2 cup ice 
• egg wash (1 egg white whisked with 1 teaspoon water)

Sift to combine flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.  

Transfer the sifted flour mixture to the work bowl of your food processor.  Add cubed butter and pulse several times until the butter is worked in and in pea-sized pieces.  The mixture should be the texture of rough cornmeal.  

Combine water, vinegar, and ice in a small bowl.  Add the cold water mixture to the rough dough several tablespoons at a time, pulsing 1-2 times after each addition.  Add just enough liquid to bring the dough roughly together.  Divide the dough in half and form two discs.  Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.  

Place one disc of chilled dough on a floured surface and roll out into a 12 inch circle.  Fold the circle in half and lay the crust across one side of a 9inch glass pie pan, unfold the disc so that the crust covered the pan and gently smooth out the crust.  Trim away an excess crust beyond 1 1/2 inches before forming the edge of the crust by folding and pinching.  Place the prepared crust in the refrigerator to rest for thirty minutes.  Use a fork to puncture the bottom of the crust several times and transfer to the freezer for ten minutes.  

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Line the chilled crust tightly with aluminum foil, wrapping the foil around the crimped edges, and fill with pie weights or dried beans.  Bake for 20 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned.  Remove from the oven and brush with egg wash, then return to the oven and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes.  While the crust is cooling prepare pecan filling.  

for the pecan filling

• 2 eggs 
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1 cup raw pecan halves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

In a medium sauté pan combine pecans, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves.  Place over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until the pecans become fragrant and begin to release their oils - about 5-8 minutes.  Remove from heat and chop roughly.  

Place the spiced pecans in the bottom of the prepared crust.  

In a large bowl whisk to combine corn syrup, eggs, sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla extract.  Pour the filling over the pecans and transfer the pie to the oven.  Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the pie filling jiggles slightly.  Allow to cool to room temperature on a cooling rack.  Once the pie has cooled prepare the chocolate custard.  

for the chocolate custard

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream 
• 1/4 cup dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 egg yolks  
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch 
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped

In a small bowl whisk to combine egg yolks, cornstarch, and heavy whipping cream.  Set aside.  

In a small saucepan combine whole milk, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.  Place over medium-high heat and stir frequently until the mixture is steaming, but not boiling.  

Slowly stream 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking rapidly to temper the yolks.  Return the tempered mixture to the saucepan and cook for 3-4 minutes or until it has thickened and reached a boil.  Remove from heat and fold in semisweet chocolate.  Pour the custard over the cooled pecan layer.  Refrigerate the pie for 3 hours or until the custard has set.  

for the cinnamon whipped cream

• 3/4 cup heavy cream 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar

Combine cream, cinnamon, and confectioner’s sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer and beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.  Serve with chilled pie.  Enjoy!