1

In a small bowl, whisk 2 cups of the flour, the baking powder and salt. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar until smooth (1 minute). Beat in egg, egg white and peppermint. On low, beat in flour mixture. Remove half of dough to bowl; stir in remaining 1 Tablespoon of flour and tint dough pink with red food coloring. Knead cocoa into second half of dough. Flatten each piece into 8-inch disk; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate 2 hours.

2

Preheat oven to 350°F. On floured surface, roll out chocolate dough to a 10x8-inch rectangle. Cut lengthwise into sixteen ½-inch-wide strips. Cut each strip in half crosswise; you will have 32 strips, each 5x½ inch. Roll under hands to make 6-inch ropes. Repeat with pink dough.

3

Twist together one chocolate rope and one pink rope. Curl a "hook" in one end of each twist, to form a candy-cane shape. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg white.

4

Bake cookies 8-10 minutes, until firm and golden around edges. Remove promptly from baking sheet; transfer carefully to cooling racks with large spatula. Cool completely.