"Absolutely wonderful! I made these twice on a rickety old stove, without a candy thermometer and without the heat diffuser cast iron pot Alton uses in the episode. Even with things stacked against me, they went off without a hitch. It was great made with hazelnuts substituted for peanuts.

The key really is to just wait until the color reaches amber. It's terrifying to wait, but just hang on!

The only thing I would change would be the amount of spice. I found it a bit too much, but I'm one of those people who just can't deal with heat.

"These are so buttery and wonderful. For me they take much longer than 20 minutes though...

"These are a lot of work, but well worth it for a once-a-year treat. My mom thinks these are the best Christmas cookies she's had.

Like others have said, the dough can be dry and difficult to work with. I found that adding egg yolk to the chocolate half (in addition to the peppermint half stated in the recipe) helps considerably. It is also crucial to chill the dough thoroughly and use plenty of powdered sugar for rolling, or else things just become a big mess.