This time of year does something to me. Something takes over in my brain and I can’t do anything about it. I have tried to fight it for years but, it always wins. The older I get the stronger the impulse to “BAKE!” When the weather starts to get cooler, I can’t pry myself out of the kitchen. No matter how tired I am, I HAVE to bake. My family loves it and my neighbors need to throw their diets out the window because I will deliver goodies to their doors! This year, I decided to give myself a motto, “It’s fall so bake it ALL” and let’s start with these homemade chocolate covered marshmallows.
Homemade Chocolate Covered Marshmallows! I need them! The store didn’t have them! I thought for sure they would have them because every fall, I buy the ones that look like pumpkins. NOPE! It’s not fall yet. They had Halloween candy but, no chocolate covered marshmallows. NONE! When I asked the nice cashier told me they didn’t have them a switch flipped in my brain and the baking began. That was all it took to make me go to the kitchen and bake everything I can get my hands on. I can’t wait to share everything with you.
Homemade Chocolate Covered Marshmallows
Start by spraying a 9×9 pan with non-stick cooking spray and line it with a piece of parchment paper.
Then, spray the top of the parchment paper and set it aside.
Mix 2-4 oz packages of unflavored Gelatin with 6 tablespoons of water and set aside. The water and gelatin will react with each other and make a gel while you work on the sugar mixture.
Mix 1 1/3 cups of sugar, 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons of light corn syrup and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan.
Cook over high heat until a candy thermometer reaches 240 degrees Fahrenheit. It is also known as the soft ball stage because when you drop a drop of the sugar mixture into cold water, it will form a soft ball. BEWARE: one of the worst burns I’ve ever had is from this sugar mixture. It is HOT and will stick to your skin so be careful!!
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the sugar mixture into the Gelatin mixture. Once it is all added, turn the mixer on high and mix for 5-10 minutes. Mix until it reaches the stiff peak stage.
Next, add the salt.
Then, add the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
It should make stiff peaks and be very sticky at this stage.
Pour marshmallows into the pan lined with parchment paper. Spray the top of the marshmallows with non-stick cooking spray and cover with parchment paper. Let sit overnight.
Next, add the marshmallows to a powdered sugar cutting board. Pick some cutters and begin cutting out shapes.If your cutters get sticky, dip them into powdered sugar.Cut the scraps into pieces and eat or use them in hot cocoa. They are so good!
Then, roll the marshmallow shapes in powdered sugar and place them into a colander and lightly shake off the excess powder sugar.
Shake off as much sugar as you can so the chocolate will stick. Insert a stick into each cutout and dip into melted chocolate.
I used Nestle Semi-Sweet but, you could use cute colored candy melts. I think these would be really cute in fall colors. After I dipped them, I inserted the sticks into a round Styrofoam cake dummy to let them dry.
I don’t need to go to the drug store now to get my chocolate covered marshmallows. I can make my own;) There are a lot of marshmallow recipes out there. I got this one from Rachel Coyle in Ready Made Magazine. I like marshmallows but, these are way better than what you get in the store. If you have never made your won, you should try it. You can cut them the size and shape you want and add fun flavors. I already have ideas for Christmas!
Bear hugs,