MINTY Week #4 Peppermint Cream Bars with White Chocolate Ganache

Raise your hand if you've ever had white chocolate ganache. Hello, welcome to my repertoire. What a keeper this entire recipe is! Gorgeous, check. Easy (all done in one batch), check. Festive and flavorful, check, check. Chewy and creamy, check. Melty in your minty mouthy, CHECK!!! Definitely, definitely permanent additions to the goody plate rotation.

Peppermint Cream Bars with White Chocolate Ganache
1 17.5 oz. package sugar cookie mix
2 T all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter
4 egg yolks
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 to 1 tsp peppermint extract (depending on your taste)
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies
White Chocolate Ganache (see below, oh yeah)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Lightly grease foil; set pan aside.

2. For crust, in a large bowl, stir together cookie mix and flour. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Press mixture evenly onto the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

3. For filling, in a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, and peppermint extract. Stir in crushed candies. Carefully pour filling over hot crust. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes more or until filling is set. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Cover; chill for 30 minutes or until cool.

4. Pour White Chocolate Ganache over top of baked mixture, spreading evenly. Cover and chill again about 1 hour or until firm. Using the edges of the foil, lift cookies out of pan. Cut into bars. Makes 36.

White Chocolate Ganache
1/4 cup whipping cream
6 oz. chopped white baking chocolate (the good stuff, with cocoa butter, not pretend white mystery bars)

In a medium saucepan, bring whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate (do not stir.) Let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Cool about 5 minutes before using.

TO STORE: Layer bars between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. 

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Cookies magazine, 2010
Bars made by Shanna S.

Click here for printable recipe