4.6 Kenzy Holger Writing 3

Make These Treats to be Everyone's Favorite This Holiday Season

The holiday season is almost upon us, so I'm here to share my all-time favorite treat! When I was growing up, peppermint candy tarts were a staple of the holidays. These bite-sized treats are sure to be a crowd favorite, whether it be for a company party or just at home!

Materials

Before you get to the fun part, you need to make sure you have all of your materials ready to go. Make sure you have each of the following:

• 1 mini muffin pan
• 1 electric mixer 
• 1 small bowl
• 2 medium bowls
• 1 piping bag
• 1 pipe tip of your choice
• 1 cooling rack

Ingredients

Now, you can move on to the most delicious part: the ingredients. You will be making two separate mixes; the frosting and the shell dough. Most of the ingredients are commonly found in most households, so you may not need to go shopping! 

Tart Shells

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine (softened)
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Frosting

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine (softened)
• 2 or 3 drops of red food coloring 
• 2 or 3 tablespoons milk

If you're looking for something a little extra, I recommend putting crushed candy canes on the top. 

Let's Get Baking

Now that you have all of your ingredients, you can finally start preparing and baking your delicious baked goods. If you're anything like me, you'll be eating the dough along the way; the wait is the hardest part! Be sure to follow these steps to ensure the best peppermint tart you can get:

1. Heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease your mini muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. In one of your medium bowls, beat the granulated sugar and 1/2 cup of butter on medium speed. The mixture should be fluffy. Then beat in peppermint extract and egg until everything is blended. 
3. On low speed, beat in the flour, salt, and baking soda. 
4. Shape your dough into 1 1/2 in balls. Push each ball into the sides and bottom of the mini muffin pan. There should be an indent in the middle. 
5. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and let the tarts set for one minute. After, carefully remove the cups from the pan and place them on the cooling rack. Allow to cool completely for 15 minutes. 
6. Take your second medium-sized bowl and beat the frosting ingredients together on medium speed until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Use your piping bag and pipe tip of your choice to fill the center of the tart shell with frosting. 
7. Sprinkle crushed candy cane on top of the frosting for added flair and flavor.

And voila! You have the most amazing holiday tart you could ever ask for. They're guaranteed to be a holiday favorite among all of your friends, family, and coworkers. Don't forget to save some for yourself!