Pastel Butter Mints (in time for easter)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temp
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp pure peppermint extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 pound of powdered sugar, plus a little extra

Instructions...

1) Cover a baking sheet with wax paper and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl beat the butter, corn syrup peppermint extract and salt. Slowly add the powdered sugar and blend together.

2) Remove from mixer and form a round, smooth ball. Add small amounts of powdered sugar if needed. Coat your hands with powdered sugar if the dough feels sticky.

3) Butter mints are traditionally tinted pastel colors... very pale yellow, green, pink and white. You only need small amounts of food coloring to acheive this. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts on wax paper. Set aside 1 part for white. To color each portion add 1 drop at a time of coloring until desired color is achieved. After adding each drop.. knead color into dough until the color is evenly distributed.

4) Pinch off a small lump of dough and roll it between your palms to form a ball 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter. Set the ball on teh prepared tray and flatten the top by pressing on it with the flat portion of a knife. If the knife sticks dip it in powdered sugar. Repeat until all the mints are formed.

Air dry the mints on the sheet for at least 4 hours, or overnight, turning them over once to dry the bottoms. Store the mints between layers of wax paper or plastic wrap in a covered container.