Updated: Because I've received multiple emails for a source for the molds mentioned in this post, I've updated this post with my favorites:
- Fruits and flowers (mold pictured below, left)
- Swirls (below, pink)
- Four seasons (not pictured)
Noni's Melt-in-your-mouth Buttermints
Noni is my mother-in-law and she s.m.o.k.e.s. in the kitchen (the "good" kind). She has made THOUSANDS of these mints over her lifetime, and has passed on the art and tradition to me and my daughter. They only require a few ingredients and pressing out the mints goes pretty quickly.
Here's what you need:
- 1 Box 10X Confections Sugar
- 3/4 stick of margarine, melted (yes, margarine, NOT butter...oh, the irony!)
- 2-3 Tbl evaporated milk (regular is fine if that's all you have)
- 8-9 drops Peppermint OIL
- Food coloring, if desired
Mix it all together; make a stiff dough (similar to dry Play Doh); pinch off enough mint dough to fill mold; invert and press out onto waxed paper. Allow 24 hours to air dry (but you can sneak a bite whenever you want ;) ).
That's it, folks.
But, to help you out, here are a few additional "Cook's Notes":
- When Noni says "10x Confectioners Sugar", she means it. I've been too chicken to try it with anything that doesn't say "10x".
- Peppermint OIL is NOT the same thing as Peppermint EXTRACT. It's pricey but lasts forever. Also, you won't find this in a grocery store; you'll find it in a PHARMACY that compounds prescriptions.
- Don't be tempted to use PLASTIC molds you can find at Hobby Lobby, Michaels, etc.; rubber molds are easier to use when pressing out individual mints, plastic wouldn't last very long.
- If you'd like more than one color per batch, divide your dough after adding only 1 Tblsp of evaporated milk. Then add add color a drop or two at a time--a little goes a loooong way and you can always add more; you can't remove it, though. If it's still dry, THEN add a bit more liquid.
- Number of mints/batch depends on the size of your mold. For instance, the fleur-de-lis mold pictured above is VERY deep--it requires almost twice as much dough as the peppermint-shaped mold on the right. Mints keep 3-4 weeks (longer if you freeze them in an air-tight container).
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Package them nicely and use as hostess gifts, teacher gifts, or gifts for people you want to treat to a little something special--they're FABULOUS
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