Dawn,.NY (5:00:27 PM) :

CHOCOLATE MINT MELTAWAY COOKIES
These cookies are spread with minted white chocolate and coated with dark chocolate.

Cookies:
1 cup unsalted butter
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1/2 cup plus 2 Tb powdered sugar
2 cups flour

Ganache
1/4 cup plus 2 Tb whipping cream
2 Tb unsalted butter
9 oz imported white chocolate, chopped (I use Lindt)
1/4 tsp peppermint extract

Coating
9 oz bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate...can use semisweet, chopped
1 Tb solid vegetable shortening...Crisco

For cookies: Oven to 350

Butter 2 large , heavy cookiesheets. With mixer, cream butter and extracts until light. Beat in sugar. Beat in 1/2 of flour. Stir in remaining flour. Spoon half of the dough into pastry bag fitted with#4 star tip. Pipe 2 1/2 inch long ovals with solid centers onto the prepared cookie sheets...spacing 1/2 inch apart. repeat with remaining dough. Bake until golden brown on edges, about 12 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to cool. For ganache: Bring bream and butter to a simmer in heavy saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate and stir until smooth. Mix in extract. Chill until firm enough to spread , about 30 minutes..stir occasionally. Line 2 cookie sheets with foil. Using small metal icing spatula, spread 1 tsp ganache over flat side of 1 cookie. Arrange ganache side up on prepared sheet. repeat with remaining cookies. Chill until ganache is set...about 30 minutes.

For coating: Melt chocolate and vegetable shortening in top of double boiler over simmering water , stir occasionally until smooth. Remove from over water. Dip 1 end of cookie into chocolate. Grasp cookie on sides and dip ganache side into bittersweet chocolate, shake cookie to remove excess. Place cookie on same sheet, chocolate side down. Repeat with all. Chill until chocolate is set...30 minutes. Remove cookies from foil. Can be prepared 2 weeks ahead, refrigerate in single layers in airtight container. Let stand 10 minutes at room temp before serving.