MARSHMALLOWS... YOU KNOW YOU LOVE 'EM!
I know it’s Thanksgiving week, and I do love Thanksgiving but I’ve been listening to Christmas music for the past week… ok maybe off and on it’s more like two weeks. Needless to say, I’m feeling rather Christmasy. So, peppermint marshmallows instead of turkey, after all, come Friday, Christmas will be in full swing.
Peppermint Vanilla Marshmallows
3 packets of gelatin, unflavored plus ½ cup of water
1 cup light corn syrup
1 ½ cups sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup water (this goes with the corn syrup, sugar and salt)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Lots of confectioners sugar for dusting, this is sticky stuff!
Mix the gelatin and water together in the bowl of a stand mixer. You’ll need the whisk attachment later, so go ahead and pop that on there.
Combine the corn syrup, sugar, salt and water in a small but deep sauce pan over medium heat. Don’t stir, just keep an eye on it until the temperature reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. As soon as it does, take it off the heat.
With the whisk attachment in place, and the mixer on a medium-low speed, slowly pour the hot sugar syrup into the bowl with the gelatin. Once all the syrup in, turn the speed to high and let it go until the mixture is really thick. Takes about 12 minutes or so. During the last 2 minutes, add the vanilla and peppermint extracts, letting them mix in, then add a little red food coloring. Just eyeball it until it’s the color you like. I went for pale pink.
Using a sifter, dust an 8 x 12 inch pan with confectioners sugar… lots of sugar, make it snow! Then carefully pour the marshmallow into the pan and, just as generously, dust the top with more confectioners sugar. Leave it to sit, uncovered, on the counter to dry out for 7 or 8 hours… basically all day or over night depending on when you make them.
Using a spatula to loosen the sides, carefully transfer the now set marshmallow block onto a cutting board. Keep dusting your knife with confectioners sugar as you cut the marshmallows into cubes or blocks. Toss all the marshmallows with more powdered sugar to keep them from sticking to everything and each other.
You’ll have a lot of marshmallows, of course the exact number will depend on the size you cut them, but never fear, they freeze really well in a zip lock freezer bag. You’ll have peppermint marshmallows on hand for hot chocolate all throughout the holiday season. What are you waiting for? Go make marshmallows, it’s fun, I promise.
