Chocolate Mints

(See notes at the end)

1/4 cup plus 2 TBSP whipping cream
2 TBSP unsalted butter
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
7 drops peppermint oil
6 oz white chocolate, finely chopped
2 tsp sour cream
1 pound bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
paper candy cups 

Line 9.5"x5.5" loaf pan with foil.  Bring 1/4 cup cream and butter to
boil in heavy small saucepan Reduce heat to low.  Add 6 oz bittersweet
chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.  Mix in 4 drops peppermint
oil.  Pour into prepared pan.  Freeze until firm.

Bring remaining 2 TBSP cream to boil in heavy small saucepan.  Reduce
heat to low.  Add white chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.
Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and remaining 3 drops of
peppermint oil.  Cool to lukewarm.  Pour over dark chocolate layer.
Smooth with back of spoon.  Tap pan on counter to even.  Freeze until
firm, about 1 hour.

Line baking sheet with waxed paper.  Lift chocolate from pan, using
foil sides as aid.  Cut candy into 1.25" rounds, using cookie cutter
dipped into hot water and wiped clean between cuts.  Set rounds on
prepared sheet.  Freeze until very firm, about 1 hour.

Melt 1 pound bittersweet chocolate in top of double boiler over barely
simmering water, stirring frequently until candy thermometer registers
115 degrees.  Remove from over water.  Working quickly, submerge 1 patty
into chocolate, white chocolate side up.  Scoop out using long dinner fork.
Tap fork sharply and quickly on sides of pan, allowing excess chocolate to 
drip back into pan.  Using small knife, slide patty off fork and
onto prepared sheet.  Lightly press back side of fork atop patty and
lift off, forming decorative pattern.  Repeat with remaining patties,
setting double boiler over hot water occasionally if necessary
to rewarm chocolate.  Refrigerate until firm.

Set candies in paper candy cups.

Can be prepared 1 week ahead.  Refrigerate airtight.  Let stand at
room temperature 10 minutes before serving.

This recipe is from "Bon Appetit" magazine, December 1988.  If you
can't find oil of peppermint, you can use about a tablespoon of
peppermint extract for each layer (for a total of about 2 TBSP
peppermint extract).  Also, I cut into squares with a knife (I
generally make 4 x 8 = 32 pieces) rather than rounds.  And you really
don't need a whole pound of chocolate for dipping at the end -- in
reality, only about 5-6 ounces of that chocolate gets used.  You do
need a little extra to make the dipping process work, though, and you
can reuse any extra melted chocolate in something else (spread it out
on wax paper and cool it in the refrigerator until it hardens).