Celebrate Peppermint Patty

The peppermint patty candy is the oldest commercially made mint patty or cake. The Quiggins family made the cakes since 1840 on the Isle of Man. The Isle of Man is located in the middle of the Northern Irish Sea. In 1880 four of the Quiggins sons formed the Kendal Mint Cake Company. The company would make and sell the peppermint patties. Later in the 1900s the patties would be sold in the U.S.A.

The Regional Confectioneries company in the U.S. started making the candy in the early 1800s. Other companies such as the Idaho Candy Company, Trudeau Candies and Pearson's would make the peppermint patty candies as well. The York Peppermint patties have gained wide spread attention through commercialism are not the oldest but best known peppermint patties. 

York peppermint patties were first made in 1940. They were distributed regionally. The firm, crispy candy seemed to dominate the market because other candies were made to be soft. The York peppermint patty would go under a "snap test" before the candy was allowed to leave the factory. The candy had to break clean in the middle if it did not then it did not go on the candy shelves. 

Peter Paul Cadbury would purchase York in 1975. Celebrate Peppermint Patties by purchasing one and enjoying the chocolate cool mint treat. 

Peppermint Patty Brownies

cocoa brownies from smitten kitchen via alice medrich

10 tbsp (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup pus 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

heaping 1/4 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs, cold

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup peppermint patties, halved or quartered

preheat oven to 325. line the bottom and sides of an 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil leaving an overhang on two opposite sides. combine the butter, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a wide skillet of simmering water.  stir occasionally until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot. remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside to cool until it's just warm, not hot. it will look gritty at this point. (these steps should be able to be done in a microwave as well.)

stir in the vanilla extract with a wooden spoon. add the eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition. when the batter looks thick, shiny, and well-blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for about 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or spatula. fold in the peppermint patty chunks and spread into the baking pan. 

bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, a few moist crumbs is ok, about 25-30 minutes. let cool completely on a rack. cut into squares. 

like most chocolatey things, they'll be even better the next day. 

shared at thinking out loud Thursday