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What Are Peppermint Creams?
Peppermint creams are a type of candy treat flavored with peppermint extracts. These candies have a soft and creamy texture similar to nougat or fondant. In some cultures, peppermint creams are closely associated with certain holiday celebrations, and represent a traditional part of holiday menus. They have also spread to other areas, where they are simply enjoyed as a minty treat at any time of the year. Most people are probably most familiar with this candy in the form of a mass-produced, chocolate-coated version that's just slightly smaller than a compact disc.
Most recipes for peppermint creams call for only basic ingredients. Traditional versions start with the whites from a raw egg, though people concerned with the potential health impact of raw eggs may switch to condensed or regular milk instead. A sweetener like confectioner's sugar or molasses is also included, though this may take the form of icing sugar or even frosting in some recipes. Finally, peppermint oil or extract is used to add a minty flavor. Some users may also add mints like spearmint or wintergreen for variety.
To make peppermint creams, chefs must mix the eggs or milk with the selected sweetener. These ingredients should be blended together until they form a thick paste. Next, drops of peppermint are added a few at a time until the right taste is achieved. The paste is rolled out flat like cookie dough, and small circles are cut using a cookie cutter to form the creams. All peppermint creams should be allowed to set overnight so they can harden and form the proper texture.
Some people may choose to add colorful food dyes to these creams to create a festive look. They can also be cut into any number of unique shapes using cookie cutters or even a knife. Many parents have a tradition of making peppermint creams with children, as they are an easy treat for kids to make themselves. The completed creams may also be dipped or coated with melted chocolate for added flavor.
While no one knows exactly when and where peppermint creams originated, they have a rich history in Scotland and other Celtic regions. Just as the peppermint cane has long been associated with Christmas, peppermint creams play a longstanding role in Christmas and Easter celebrations in some areas. These treats can also be enjoyed year round, as many are sold prepackaged in grocery and candy shops. Most commercial versions feature a dark chocolate coating designed to complement the minty flavor.
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![Peppermint creams are often coated in melted chocolate.]()
By: NatikaPeppermint creams are often coated in melted chocolate.
Discussion Comments
@lighth0se33 – I've never actually made peppermint creams either, but I did find an easy recipe that called for peppermint creams to make some cookies. They turned out to be delicious, and I saved the recipe in my box of favorites.
The recipe said to make some chocolate cookie dough and encase the peppermint creams in it. I used wads of about two tablespoons of dough and worked them around each piece of peppermint cream.
I baked them on parchment paper until the cookie dough cracked a bit on top. While they were warm, the creamy centers were super gooey. After they had fully cooled, they were still very easy to bite into, though they had solidified a bit.
I have found out how to make chocolate peppermint creams even more enjoyable. All you need to do is drink a glass of peppermint tea while you eat them.
Peppermint tea can be enjoyed either warm or cold. I often drink it cold, because I take it to work with me to drink later on in the morning. I always carry one or two peppermint creams in my purse, too.
If you love the taste of peppermint, there is almost no greater intensity of it than the combination of the tea and the chocolate creams. It is so satisfying, and it even curbs my cravings for potato chips.
I absolutely love peppermint ice cream with chocolate chips. So, when I saw some ice cream in the store last week that actually contains chunks of dark chocolate peppermint creams, I had to have it.
The ice cream itself is peppermint flavored, so the addition of the peppermint creams really intensifies the coolness. I prefer it to the kind that just has a few chocolate chips scattered throughout.
Generally, if you are a fan of peppermint creams, then you will love peppermint ice cream. The tastes are very similar, and both are very cooling to your mouth.
Every peppermint creams recipe I have seen sounds fairly easy. I am not very good in the kitchen, though, so I prefer to buy the premade kind.
My dad has always been a fan of both dark chocolate and peppermint, so these are his ideal treats. He goes through about a bag a week, even though my mom nags him about eating all that sugar.
Peppermint creams are rather sugary, but the strong blast of peppermint flavor and the intensity of the dark chocolate keep them from tasting too sweet, or even as sweet as they actually are. I do enjoy one now and then, and often, if something has made me think of them, I get a strong craving for one.
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