Peppermint Chocolates ? The Perfect Holiday Gift

I’ve been on a baking streak for months; a baking fool.  If you can think of it, I’ve made it.  So I guess it isn’t odd for me to decide (with the holiday season) fast approaching that I need to be selective in my baking this month.  I’ve eaten way too many sweets since I started my baking blog.  Not only do I bake for the blog, but I have baked other things that I haven’t posted.  That adds up to a lot of sugar, and a lot of calories, even after sharing my homemade treats with family and friends. 

What does a girl do when she ends up with this kind of dilemma?  She spends less time baking and blogging, gets out the exercise bike, dusts it off, loads some new songs on her MP3 player, and starts pedaling.   I knew sooner or later it would come to this.   In the meantime….

This treat does involve using chocolate, but no baking, and since I’m pedaling my you know what off, I made just enough to put in cute little gift boxes to give away. 

Supplies you will need: A candy mold (I picked one up at the local craft store on sale for about $2.00).  (5) peppermint candies, and one cup of your favorite chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet).

Crush the candies and sprinkle some in the bottom of  each mold.  Set the remainder of the candy aside.  Next, put the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds.  Stir, and microwave another 30 seconds.  This may take you several times of melting (depending on the size of your microwave) and stirring but the object is to melt the chocolate slowly, and not to overheat it.

Once the chocolate is melted work quickly using a teaspoon to fill each (ungreased) mold, once each one is filled sprinkle more crushed peppermint on top.  If the chocolate starts to harden before you fill all of your molds you can melt it again in the microwave but only in 10 second intervals. 

If you only purchase one mold  there will be a small amount of chocolate and crushed peppermint left over.   My mold made 12 candies and I made bark by pouring the left over chocolate on a piece of parchment paper and sprinkled the left over candy on top.

After you have done all the molding let the chocolate harden in a cool dry place.  Once firm, carefully turn the mold over and the chocolates should easily fall out.  Package them as you desire.  I guarantee these little treats will fool just about everyone.  Those receiving them will think you spent hours making them, and in reality it is a quick 15 minutes, or less project.