Chocolate Mint Melt-Aways

Cookies: 1 c Butter, unsalted; room temp

2 ts Vanilla extract

1/2 ts Peppermint extract

= naturaly flavored 1/2 c Powdered sugar, plus 2 t.

2 c Flour, all-purpose

Ganache: 1/4 c Whipping cream, plus 2 t.

2 tb Butter, unsalted

9 oz White chocolate; chopped

1/4 ts Peppermint extract

Coating: 9 oz Bittersweet chocolate

Or semisweet 1 tb Vegetable shortening

Recipe by: Bon Appetit, Dec. 1990 Cookies:Preheat oven to 350. Butter 2 large heavy baking sheets. Using mixer, cream butter, sugar and extracts until light. Beat in half of the flour. Stir in remaining flour. Spoon half of dough into a pastry bag fitted with #4 star tip , or cookie press. Either pipe 2 1/2 inch ovals with solid centers or press into desired shape, spacing cookies 1/2 " apart. Repeat with remaing dough. Bake until golden brown on edges, about 12 minutes.

Transfer to paper towels and cool. Ganache:Bring cream and butter to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Add chocolate and stir until smooth. Mix in extract. Refrigerate just until firm enough to spread, stirring occaisionally, about 30 minutes. Line 2 cookie sheets with foil or parchment paper. Using a small spatula spread 1 teaspooon of ganache over flat side of cookie. Arrange ganache side up on cookie sheets. Refrigerate until firm. Coating: Melt chocolate and shortning together over double boiler until smooth. Remove from water. Grasping cookie by the edges, dip bottom of cookie into chocolate, place on cookie sheet chocolate side down. Repeat with remaining cookies. Chill until chocolate sets. -----