Illicit Drug Trafficking: Arrest of Slim Mints Suspects

Illicit Drug Trafficking: Arrest of Slim Mints Suspects

In the spirit of pandering to that insatiable Thin Mint craving beyond the confines of Girl Scout season, we've got just the ticket. Our take on the classic cookie features a dark chocolate cookie base and a semisweet coating - a year-round dream come true. The real magic happens when you pop these bad boys straight from the freezer.

To achieve chocolate perfection, you'll need a decent kitchen scale and a chocolate tempering thermometer. In this recipe, we opted for the pure, minty punch of peppermint oil over extract, which can leave a slightly chemical aftertaste. You can nab some peppermint oil at your local nutrition store or online. For a more professional finish, go for couverture chocolate, which has a higher cocoa butter content and sets up nicely. Just remember, you'll need to temper it. We're fond of El Rey 58.5 percent dark chocolate Discos, available at specialty grocery stores or online. As a rule of thumb, avoid tempering chocolate on a hot day or in a chilly space. Chocolate performs best between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. And don't forget, chocolate in temper lasts only a short time, so prep yourself and work promptly.

Want to extend the cookie party? Our Slim Mints recipe can be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored airtight until coating time. For more cookie delights, check out our Do-Si-Do, Fijis, and Left Behinds recipes too.

• Yields: Approx. 80 cookies
• Difficulty: Challenging
• Total Time: 4 hours, 40 minutes
• Active Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes

Ingredients (10)

For the cookies:

• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint oil
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), chilled and cut into small pieces

For the coating:

• Ice
• 2 pounds semisweet chocolate couverture, separated into 1 (24-ounce) portion and 1 (8-ounce) portion

Instructions

To make the cookies:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, peppermint oil, and vanilla extract.
2. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, pulse the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt a few times to aerate. Add butter and pulse until the mixture resembles sand, about 25 pulses. Add the yolk mixture and pulse just until the dough comes together, about 15 pulses.
3. Turn the dough onto a clean surface and roll into 2 logs, each about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm but pliable, about 1 hour. If you've got a paper towel tube on hand, halve it lengthwise and use it to help the logs keep their shape during chilling. Reshape the logs and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour more.
4. Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
5. Remove a dough log from the fridge, unwrap, and slice into ⅛-inch coins. Place cookies ½ inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the edges are firm but the tops are still soft, about 9-11 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining dough.

To make the coating and finish:

1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Fill a large bowl with 2 inches of cold water and add 3-4 ice cubes. Set aside.
3. Place 24 ounces of the chocolate couverture in a dry, heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan with 1-2 inches of simmering water, making sure the chocolate doesn't touch the water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is completely melted and reaches 118°F. Remove the bowl from the saucepan.
4. Add the remaining 8 ounces of chocolate and stir until fully melted and the temperature drops to 80°F. To speed up the cooling process (but do this only after all chocolate has melted), place the bowl over the reserved ice water bath.
5. Once cooled, return the bowl to the saucepan and stir until the chocolate reaches 88°F. Remove from heat, keeping the thermometer in the bowl to monitor the temperature. Keep the saucepan with water on low heat, ready to reheat the chocolate as needed.
6. To test if the chocolate is properly tempered, spread a thin layer on parchment paper and refrigerate for 3 minutes. If the chocolate hardens smooth and without streaks, it's good to go. (If it's not tempered, let the mixture harden and start over.)
7. Dip a cooled cookie into the tempered chocolate and set on a wire rack to dry. Repeat until all cookies are coated. Let sit at room temperature until completely set, about 20 minutes. Store airtight at room temperature for 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

*Note: For online peppermint oil purchases, consider the following vendors:

1. Revive Essential Oils
2. Figgy & Co.
3. Oshadhi Essential Oils
4. Neal's Yard Remedies
5. To intensify the minty flavor in our Thin Mint-inspired cookies, we opted for the potent peppermint oil over extract in our recipe, which can be purchased at local nutrition stores or online.
6. In the dessert realm, our Slim Mints recipe, made with similar ingredients as Thin Mints, can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance and kept airtight until coating time, making it perfect for extending the cookie party.
7. For the best coating results, settle for couverture chocolate, which is high in cocoa butter and sets up beautifully after tempering. When working with couverture chocolate, remember that it should be tempered between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit for the best results.

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