Turn your kitchen into a candy factory. Now you can concoct your own confections at home with advice from Brooklyn's reigning candy queens, Liz Gutman and Jen King.
If you’ve ever tried Liddabit Sweets Sea Salt Caramels, then you know that these ladies know exactly how to make the perfect sweet treats and candy! Their cookbook, The Liddabit Sweets Candy Cookbook hosts 75 foolproof recipes, photographs, step-by-step instructions, inspiration and a healthy dose of humor – perfect for the at home cook.
Lucky for us, the gals at Liddabit shared their Buttermints recipe. And now we’re sharing it with you. Buttermints are smooth and buttery, and make great homemade party favors.
BUTTERMINTS
Makes 1 1/3 pounds, about 300 half-inch pieces
Special Equipment
Stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or electric mixer and medium-size bowl
Large (13”x18”) rimmed baking sheet, lined with parchment paper
Ingredients
8 tablespoons (1 stick/115 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1-inch chunks
4 cups (520 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted, plus extra for rolling
1/4 teaspoon (1 g) pure peppermint oil
2 tablespoons (30 g) whole milk
Food coloring (optional)
Directions
- Combine the butter and the 4 cups confectioners’ sugar in the mixer bowl. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the peppermint oil and milk, and beat on medium speed until combined.
- Lightly dust some confectioners’ sugar onto a cutting board, and turn the dough out onto the board. If you’re using food coloring, add 1 to 2 drops (or more for deeper color) and knead it into the dough with your hands until incorporated. If you’re making multiples colors, divide the dough into several pieces first (one for each color) and add the food coloring to each piece, starting with 1 drop and kneading, adding 1 drop at a time, until the desired colors are reached. Gather each piece of dough into a ball.
- Sift more confectioners’ sugar over the cutting board. Divide the dough into 4 pieces (if you haven’t divided it already), and set 3 pieces aside, loosely covered in plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out. Using your hands, and dusting them with confectioners’ sugar as needed to reduce any stickiness, gently roll one piece of dough into a log about 1/2 inch in diameter.
- Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut the log into 1/2 inch pieces. Lay the pieces in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet to dry. Repeat with the remaining 3 pieces of dough, and allow the candies to dry at room temperature, uncovered, overnight.
Store the buttermints, layered between parchment or wax paper, in an airtight container at room temperature, away from light, for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy!