chocolate mint candies

These are super yummy!!!  Think andes mint.  Originally they were supposed to be peppermint, but # 1.  I prefer regular mint. #2 I had mint extract and not peppermint extract already in my cupboard.  These too are from the little insert in my food network magazine, and although they had more instructions than some of the recipes, they were still  a bit on the tedious side extremely tedious.  Delicious, but tedious, and made me feel like I'm not at all artistic.  Which is actually the truth - I just don't need to feel that way while making candy.  There is a reason I cook, and make candy, but don't make cutesie cupcakes or cake pops or any number of items where artistic ability is required.
Really, I was trying to pick easy recipes.  I don't have a lot of extra time at the holidays, and much less this year with 2 kids in 2 different sports and a hubby who has been traveling a lot, and working late.  I thought these would be quick.  They seemed simple enough.  Cut the dough out with a cookie cutter and dip in chocolate.  No artistic talent required right?? .... Wrong!! (if I'm making them at least.)  I somehow made it one of the most difficult things I made this Christmas.  - This was after the Chocolate-hazelnut crunch balls which I couldn't get to stick together until the very end.
I did make some modifications that made things easier - #1 I quit using stars and started using a tree and a bell.  Those were soooo much easier to deal with because I didn't have 5 points all trying to go askew when I dipped them.  My only issue with them was that I felt like they ended up looking like triangles and not being worth the work.  In the end I made the last bit of the dough into something that resembled an Andes mint.  I just rolled out all of the dough.  Dipped one side in chocolate, then the other.  Chilled and cut them with a pizza cutter - or something similar - it could have been my dough scraper for all I know, but you get the idea.  By the time I got to this option, I probably should have re-heated my chocolate for the who knows how many'th time, but I didn't, so they didn't turn out pretty.  However, if making these again, and trying to save time, I would definitely think about making them like an andes mint.   Honestly, the middle is super simple to whip up, it just really only is easy to work with if it is super frozen, and working with it thaws it out and makes it really sticky.  However, you could roll it out, freeze it,  Paint on some melted chocolate, freeze again, flip it over, paint on some more melted chocolate, and whah-la.... Super simple mint-chocolate candies.  Did I mention these were tasty????  Why else would I go to so much trouble trying to figure out how to make them (only easier next time.)

Well, I started writing this 2 weeks ago, never got to finishing, and 2 days ago my computer decided to crash and it doesn't look like I have any pictures left.  :(  Here are the directions anyway.  That's what I get for being a procrastinator.  But honestly, who cares about the food pictures, I'm sad I don't seem to have any family pictures either.  Must find a computer guy soon to see if this problem can be remedied.

Ingredients

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons softened butter
• 2 teaspoons milk
• 1 teaspoon mint extract
• 8 oz chopped semisweet chocolate
• 2 teaspoons shortening (I probably used coconut oil)

Directions

1. Beat powdered sugar, corn syrup, butter, milk and mint until smooth.  Chill 30 minutes. (or roll out to 1/4 inch thick and freeze.)
2. Dust with more powdered sugar and roll out until 1/4 inch thick.  (Read thoughts above for ideas to make this easier.)
3. Cut into desired shapes and freeze until hard.  
4. Melt chocolate with shortening.  Let cool to room temperature.
5. Dip stars (or whatever shape you made) into the melted chocolate and sprinkle with nonpareils if desired.  Chill until set.