Melting Mint Patties
from The Sweet Book of Candy Making by Elizabeth LaBau

These may be similar to Junior Mints. Elizabeth LaBau introduces the recipe by remembering eating a box of chocolae covered mint patties that came in a box in a movie theater and leaving with an empty box.

Ingredients in Junior Mints: Sugar, Semi-Sweet Chocolate (Sugar, Chocolate Processed with Alkali, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin-An Emulsifier, Vanillin-An Artificial Flavor), Corn Syrup, Confectioner's Glaze, Food Starch-Modified, Peppermint Oil, Invertase (An Enzyme). EGG AND MILK MAY BE PRESENT.

These candies need to be made a few days in advance to allow the filling enough time to soften and "melt," but if you can’t wait that long, the combination of refreshingly minty fondant and semisweet chocolate is still delicious.

Powdered sugar, for dusting
1 pound freshly made Old-Fashioned Fondant
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 teaspoon invertase [makes the center more liquidy]
1 pound dark chocolate, melted and tempered

Dust your work surface and your hands with powdered sugar, and knead together the fondant, peppermint extract, and invertase. Alternatively, you can chop the fondant into pieces and mix the fondant, extract, and invertase together on low speed in a mixer using the paddle attachment.

Roll the fondant into small balls about 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) wide and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. You should get about 6 dozen small balls from the fondant. Gently press down on top of each ball so that it is a disc almost 3/4 inch (2cm) wide. Refrigerate the discs until completely firm.

Once firm, dip the mint patties into the tempered chocolate and let them set at room temperature. Check the patties, and if any of them have areas on the sides or bottom that are not covered in chocolate, dip them again. Because the centers get so soft, the filling will leak out of any undipped areas. When the chocolate is completely set, store the mint patties in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days to give the center time to soften and liquefy.

After they have softened, Melting Mint Patties can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 6 dozen