Butter Mint Candies
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. Peppermint extract
1/2 tsp. Salt
4-3/4 cups confectioners sugar
In a large mixing bowl, combine the corn syrup, butter, peppermint extract, and salt. Beat well with a wooden spoon.
Add the sugar and stir slowly until blended. Mix the dough with your hands until it forms a smooth ball. (If your hands get sticky, coat them lightly with confectioners sugar.)
If you wish to tint the candy different colors, divide the dough into quarters on a piece of waxed paper.
Leave one part white and color each of the others with a drop of food coloring (keep the colors pale). Knead the color into the dough until it is blended throughout.
Shape the dough into 3/4-1-inch balls, then set each ball on a piece of waxed paper and press the top flat with the tines of a fork dipped in confectioners sugar (a good job for kids.) Allow the mints to dry for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until hard and crisp on the outside. Makes about 70 mints.
