Peppermint hearts recipe

I had quite a few requests for a recipe for the Peppermint Hearts that we made in my last post, and I'm only too pleased to write it up, and that has the added bonus of plumping up my rather scrawny Tutorials department (although maybe a recipe is not strictly the same as a tutorial...). The recipe is actually one from my head, honed and perfected down the years from the first time my ten year old self was allowed free-reign in the kitchen.

Ingredients:

1 Egg White
Icing Sugar (unlimited amounts!)
Lemon Juice
Natural Peppermint Essence
Pink or Green Food Colouring

Water

1.In a bowl mix an unspecified amount of icing sugar (a medium-sized mound is the best way I can describe it) with the egg white and a generous capful of peppermint essence (I think you may need less if your peppermint essence is of the more synthetic variety) and the food colouring (I tend to be quite restrained here as I love my peppermint creams to look as melt-in-the-mouth as they taste). At this point we carry out essential testing and check that they really do taste pepperminty enough - we like ours strong!

2. Once these are mixed, put your spoon to one side and let the eager little hands begin the work of bringing the ingredients together to form a large ball. If there isn't enough liquid in the mix at this point I add lemon juice (make sure it hasn't got 'bits' in and substitute with water if it's getting too lemony!) until the consistency is just right (you want the ball to be stuck together smoothly and quite dry).

3. Sprinkle icing sugar over your work surface to stop it sticking, put your ball on the worksurface and then sprinkle a little icing sugar over that too, and then let the rolling begin. We make our creams about 1cm thick.

4. Use your choice of cutter to make shapes. You may need to keep re-balling and then re-rolling to get the most out of your mixture. Take plenty of time over this section - if there are children involved it should fulfil all your children's play-doh needs until the next baking session (allowing those nasty tubs of carpet-ruiners to stay at the back of the cupboard).

5. As the creams are made I put them onto baking parchment (to stop them sticking) until they're properly hardened.

Once they are properly hardened start arranging prettily on a plate, using the 'one for me, one for the plate' method of distribution.

And here is what you have:

Thank you for all your lovely comment on my A Change of Heart post. Hope you are enjoying the weekend. x

Comments

  1. Thanks Florence they look wonderful. I like the "mound" of icing sugar, a very technical term!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Everyone must read my mind in the world of blog! I was going to leave a request for the recipe but got side tracked by fish & chips last night. Will have a go at the peppermint creams late next week after I have gone to the local sugar factory for 'mounds of icing sugar'.

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  3. These look delicious. Will have to remember them the next time Bubbaloo is with me. I am also a lover of the "one for me, one for the plate" method - it not only works with distribution, but of course with collection also - especially at the time when picking raspberries....or strawberries...or anything really!
    Have a lovely weeked
    Clare xxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. this takes me back, i don't think i've made peppermint creams since brownies!!, i remember, we coloured them green and made little circle shapes, not nearly as pretty as yours. green ones resemble toothpaste a bit too much for my liking!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I remember peppermint hearts being the first thing I was allowed to do all by myself, I was probably 8 or 9...I remember because I made them at Brownies first. Mine were BRIGHT green. Not very nice to look at, and probably not very nice to taste either (but they all went!)
    I think I'll try again, thank you for the recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  6. ps. ha ha ha - just read lucykate's post after doing mine - seems it was a staple of the Brownie's handbook then!!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yum! I can't wait to try this recipe, thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Just found your site. Those peppermints looks positively perilous to eat - good for my tastebuds, not so good for my hips. I love the pastel color. Looking forward to reading some more of your site.

    ReplyDelete
  9. As we would say here in this house..Yum,yum,pigs bum!!! I am going to try a shamrock version for st patrick's day,
    Thank you for that.
    on a side note,where did you find that chalk pencil that you sent to ali?I want to ask my sister to add it to my ever growing list of supplies that she will be lugging over the big pond in a few weeks!!
    take care
    Natasha x

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I really like the way you make your creations alive...
    Photos are so cute...
    I really have fun with your dinausors...

    ReplyDelete
  12. Popped over from Crafty Crow. These sound delicious and look beautiful. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  13. ming in from The Crafty Crow with many others. Such a great simple recipe. Looks divine. I'm heading to the store today for peppermint and pink food coloring. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Coming in from The Crafty Crow with many others.

    Such a great simple recipe. Looks divine. I'm heading to the store today for peppermint and pink food coloring. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  15. So decadent! And such a sweet gift!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Absolutely lovely little treat! Thanks!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I just found your blog. Lovely. Think I am going to have to stop by and see what you are up to. Is icing sugar the same as powdered sugar. I want to make these. They look great and I love peppermint.
    Thanks for sharing your recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  18. These peppermints look sooo good!!!

    ReplyDelete
  19. We made these and they were yummy! We dipped ours in chocolate too, extra good.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Thanks for the recipe. I'll have to give these a try. And can't resist the little hands using the rolling pin - always makes me smile no matter whose little hands they are!

    ReplyDelete
  21. oh yummy! I just made it and it so good and easy to made too but my son hate peppermint. I will try instead banana or another flavor extract. thanks for share! :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Oh Florence, dear Florence (My grandma's name! :D) My Mom used to make wedding cakes for a little "pin money" and she used to make these exact candies in a beautiful rose shaped mold! (We call them "soft mints" in Illinois, where I'm from originally. I'm in Newcastle Upon Tyne now, go figure! :D) Anyway, she always had to make extra and hide the "Wedding Ones". :D Yummy, yummy, yummy.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I have just made up a batch of these, how delightful! I love the "one for the plate, one for me" method of distribution! Have only recently found your blog, and look, I have become your 500th follower...

    ReplyDelete
  24. That sort of distribution method entirely works for me - as does the somewhat 'give it a whirl' type recipe. You can consider 'em 'whirled' by week's end. (Hearty thanks).

    ReplyDelete
  25. This contains raw egg white?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous - indeed it does. I always choose organic, free-range eggs & have never worried over the raw egg white. However, it's a matter of personal choice.

      Delete
  26. Thanks so much for these beautiful delicate heart candies. Love them

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a message - it's always really lovely to hear from people.

I now tend to reply within the comments section, so please do check back if you've asked a question or wish to chat.

Florence x