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Santa Baby….

We are having to pull out the big guns this Christmas to make sure Santa stops by. See Crazy Cocker Spaniel is a little nervous this year (see picture below) as she has been on quite the Kleenex tissue shredding binge as of late. We call it making Christmas around these parts as she blankets the house with have chewed up Kleenex. I know she is just trying to be festive but it becomes a pain to clean up. So to better entice Santa to show up I had to offer up a little more than just cookies. So we are offering him hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows and some homemade Chocolate Caramel Covered Marshmallows.
When I made the hard caramels the other day I also made a small batch of soft ones. I wanted to try my hand at the Chocolate Caramel Covered Marshmallows (I got the pictures downloaded…such a smart husband I  have). A candy maker I am not. If I was smart I would have put an indent into the marshmallows while they were setting up so that the caramel wouldn’t slide off of them so much (next time). I also am a horrible chocolate dipper. But I wasn’t giving them away to anyone but Santa and I made sure to leave the best looking ones for him. I am sure that Santa will appreciate the effort at least. These as you expect are good. Caramel, good. Chocolate, good. And homemade marshmallows, good. In fact, I have made many marshmallows and I have to say that this is my favorite recipe. It’s easy and unlike Dorie’s version, there are no egg whites involved. These ones melt about as perfect as marshmallows can melt in hot chocolate.
So everyone cross their fingers for CCS that this is enough to win over Santa, as I know her Kleenex shredding days are not over (she is doing it as I type this post!). For those who celebrate Christmas I wish you a very Merry Christmas. And for those who don’t I wish you a very happy regular day of the week. 🙂

Homemade Marshmallows

3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 cup ice cold water, divided
12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 ½  cups
1 cup light corn syrup
¼  tsp kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼  cup confectioners’ sugar
¼  cup cornstarch
Nonstick spray
 

Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with ½  cup of the water. Have the whisk attachment standing by.
In a small saucepan combine the remaining ½  cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.
Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping. While the mixture is whipping prepare the pan.
Combine the confectioners’ sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.
When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners’ sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
 
Adapted from Food Network.com (Alton Brown)

Chocolate Caramel Covered Marshmallows

Cut marshmallows to desired size and shape. Cut soft caramels (recipe here) slightly smaller than the size of the marshmallows. Place the caramel on top of the marshmallows.
Put caramel topped marshmallows in microwave for about 10 seconds. You don’t want it to really melt but you want the caramel to adhere to the marshmallow.
Place in refrigerator for 5 minutes to firm back up.
While the marshmallows are in the refrigerator prepare the chocolate. I just used the recipe from the Peppermint Bark Shortbread but used milk chocolate instead of semisweet.
Dip the marshmallow into chocolate and completely coat them. Place on a wire rack (with a pan below to catch the dripping chocolate).
Place in refrigerator for about 10 minutes to firm up. Store in an airtight container.

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Comments

  2. I don’t even like marshmallows much, but these do tempt me. So pretty! And chocolate improves almost anything. Best of all – that gorgeous cup!

    Merry Christmas!

    Reply

  7. Mmmm, those caramel-chocolate marshmallows look absolutely amazing! For whatever reason I’ve always been somewhat terrified of marshmallows, but these may tempt me to try my hand at them!

    Merry Christmas!

    Reply

  8. Wow, does that look good. I can almost taste it. I’ve never made homemade marshmallows, and keep saying I will and never get around to it. Your photo just might have inspired me. And the caramels!…

    Reply

  10. I love all the baking you have been doing and think the peppermint chocolate dipped shortbread is my favorite. I finally read your bio and I love the name. It is so cool. I will use your marshmallow recipe next time, so far all the ones I have made have been good but no real difference from each other. Santa will love anything you leave him on this page.
    I have a new plan for my life. There are not many available men my age that are worth dating, so…I shall marry Santa. He has all the toys. He is jolly. He rewards good. Problem solved.
    Have a very blessed Christmas.

    Reply

  12. I have yet to make marshmallows from scratch but at least I know what recipe to use! This looks amazing and the chocolate caramel covered ones look heavenly! Here’s wishing you a very Merry Christmas from our family to yours Peabody! 🙂

    Reply

  19. Coud you tell me in grams or oz how much comes in one package of geletine there? thanks a lot and Merry Christmas to you!!

    Reply

  21. These marshamllows look delicious (I have a weakness for this flavour combination)! And the photo of the hot chocolate with the candy canes pressed around the rim is fantastic.

    LOL at your cocker spaniel making snow with tissues. My brother has a mini fox terrier that loves ripping up any kind of paper, especially hand towels, and plays commando so that he can steal them when you aren’t looking just to rip them up.

    Reply

  22. That is so totally cute – poor CCS 🙂 Mmm, I have always wanted to make some homemade marshmallows, and this recipe really looks awesome. Love the way you rim the hot chocolate mug! woohoo! Merry Christmas, hon.

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  24. Very interesting recipe! I love the idea of not eating raw egg whites, which is how I’ve made them (only once) in the past. The addition of caramel and chocolate in that precious chocolate-and-candy-rimmed cup looks amazing!

    Reply

  26. Merry Christmas Peabody! If Santa doesn’t like that cocoa he is a grouch.
    Funny about the shredded tissue…my dog went nuts with the colored tissue paper from some packages and shredded it up with great joy. Must be a doggy Christmas thing.

    Reply

  34. I am sure Santa couldn’t have resisted. Those look incredible. By the way, I made the cheesecake for TWD next week and topped it with pecans and your toffee sauce. Bless you for sharing that recipe. It was incredible. Thanks!

    Reply

  35. What is it with dogs and shredding tissue? Maybe it’s the spaniel gene…

    That hot chocolate looks good enough to swim in. Hope you had a great Christmas.

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  36. santa’d be crazy not to stop at your house! i hope he did and that he left lots of goodies for you and yours…including static guard for your pup. 🙂

    Reply

  39. Your pictures are absolutely beautiful! I am very tempted by this idea of homemade marshmallow – I need to get over my apprehension and just make them. Looks yummy!

    Reply

  51. Young lady, you are going to force me to go shopping for bigger clothes! Everything you put up lately looks sooooo good and I want to have it all!

    Reply

  52. these pictures are so enticing. did you hear Eartha Kitt died over the holiday? How sad 🙁 I just love that song of hers, Santa Baby. Great choco drink, especially the way you decorated the mug.

    Reply

  53. Those are some good looking candies. I’m sure no matter what they looked like, you’d find me stuffing my face with them if I could. Hope you had a great Christmas! I sure hope Santa came.

    Reply

  55. Love the peppermint coated edge of the cup, very pretty and festive! And I can’t help but giggle at your pup, so adorable.

    As for the marshmallows, I’m marking this to make soon, they look scrumptious!

    Reply

  56. Oh my Lord! Chocolate covered caramel and chocolate covered marshmallows are two of my favorite things – I get friends to send them to me from the US at Xmas! These look amazing. No candymaker myself, I will take heart in the fact that you claim to be the same and maybe I’ll get up the courage….

    Reply

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