Mint Patties for St-Patty’s?! Yep. That’s how I roll.

These are a kind of play on the infamous peppermint patty, and are totally delicious.

There’s just something about the mint-chocolate combination that wins me over every time. Without fail.

If it were up to me, I would include mint in all of my chocolate desserts. I actually used to, until my lovely fiancee and my beautiful belle-soeur came onto the scene. Neither of them are fans of the mint-chocolate dyad. Crazy?! Yes.

But because I love them both, I censor my own love for the most delicious dessert-flavour marriage. I don’t eliminate it altogether from my repertoire (= impossible), but I limit its presence at family gatherings.

Because I was, unusually, creating this dessert to please, only, yours truly, I had free reign. And I busted out the mint extract. YEAH, boy.

And they’re awesome.

Mint Patties

Adapted from allrecipes

Ingredients
1 oz light cream cheese, softened
1 tsp butter, softened
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 tsp – 1 tsp pure peppermint extract
green food colouring, optional
1/4 cup granulated sugar, optional
300 g semi-sweet or dark chocolate

Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, and icing sugar. Mix in peppermint extract (start with 1/2 tsp and taste; add more if desired). Colour with food colouring, or leave white.
2. If using, pour 1/4 cup granulated sugar into a shallow dish.
3. Roll mixture into small balls, slightly flatten, place in dish with granulated sugar to coat on all sides (if using), and place on waxed paper. Using a fork, lightly press down on top of each mint.
4. Let dry for about 2 hours on waxed paper, then freeze or refrigerate.
5. In a double-boiler, melt the chocolate.
6. Using two forks (to facilitate flipping), coat the mints (one at a time) in the melted chocolate. Carefully transfer the chocolate-coated mints onto waxed or parchment paper. Repeat until all are coated.
7. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set. Transfer to an airtight container.