Enjoy fantastic Peppermint Patty Bars year-round! These miniature bars have the same great flavors you love in classic peppermint patties.
Combine powdered sugar, shortening, corn syrup, water and peppermint extract in a large bowl. Use electric mixer on LOW speed to mix ingredients. NOTE: Filling will be very crumbly, even after mixing.
Use your hands to pinch/ knead the filling crumbles together. Continue until dough is fairly smooth in texture. Shape into a basic log form; transfer to wax paper or parchment paper. Continue to shape the filling into a rectangular log about 1½" wide and about 9" long, compacting filling as you form it. Wrap log tightly in plastic wrap; place on cookie sheet. REFRIGERATE FOR 1 HOUR!
Remove wrap from chilled "log". Use a serrated knife to carefully cut log into ¼" thick slices. You should end up with about 32 slices. Place slices in a single layer on baking sheet(s). Place them in the FREEZER for 15 minutes.
Place about ⅓ of chocolate and ⅓ of the vegetable shortening in a microwave-safe bowl. Place bowl in microwave. Cook on High power for 45 seconds. Remove bowl and stir chocolate. Chocolate will be barely melted, but stir anyway. Repeat this process in 30 second intervals, stirring after each heating, until chocolate is fully melted and smooth. IMPORTANT TIP: The bowl, spoon, etc. you use must be DRY. Any water that gets into the chocolate can make chocolate "seize up" and get too hard. Dip about ⅓ of the peppermint patties at a time, then re-melt more chocolate, etc., as needed. Continue until all bars are dipped.
FOR EACH BAR: Carefully place 1 bar at a time into chocolate; gently turn it over until all sides are chocolate-covered. TIP: Use a spoon to help coat bar with chocolate, and a small fork to lift the bar out of the bowl. Let excess chocolate run down and back into bowl. Immediately place the peppermint patty bar onto waxed paper OR parchment paper. Add colorful sprinkles immediately after each bar is dipped, so they adhere before chocolate hardens! Repeat this with each peppermint bar, until all are chocolate-dipped and decorated.
Let chocolate completely harden before serving. Keep any leftovers stored in an airtight container in refrigerator. Enjoy!
FYI NOTE: Depending on the variety of dark chocolate melts used, the total calorie count of each bar can vary quite a bit. I used Make n' Mold chocolate candy wafers (sold at Hobby Lobby), but most grocers (or hobby shops) have a variety of candy wafers, almond bark or dark chocolate chips, which can be used for chocolate coating for the bars. Each differing variety will produce a different total caloric count.
Peppermint Patty Bars https://www.thegratefulgirlcooks.com/peppermint-patty-bars/