You know all those packets of hot cocoa mix you got in your Christmas stocking? Yeah, I’m here to tell you that if you plop one of these melt in your mouth, gooey, sticky, caramelly marshmallow nuggets in your mug of cocoa, you will be extra happy. I promise.

People often get very intimidated about making homemade marshmallows, but it’s really not difficult; you just have to be organized from the get go and assemble all your ingredients and tools and read through the recipe to get a sense of the flow before you start.

I’m here to tell you, people LOVE getting homemade mallows as gifts. This time of year, everyone is making cookies (myself included), but tucking into a hot cup of cocoa with a large homemade mallow is so comforting and they make a really thoughtful gift. You’ll be an instant rock star. This is the gift you give when you may not know the person too well and you don’t know what they like or dislike. EVERYONE loves a good mallow!

Yes, I’m probably a little late on the draw posting this I know, but like everyone else, I’ve been uber busy and you can always give these as hostess gift for a New Years Party as well.

 

Caramel Swirl Marshmallows

yield: one 9×9 inch pan or 24 large size mallows

 

Bloom

1/2 Cup cold water

4 1/2 tsp. unflavored gelatin

Misc

1/4 Cup light corn syrup

2 tsp. butter vanilla flavoring or 2 tsp. vanilla

1 Cup + 2 Tbsp.  room temp store bought caramel sauce (I used Coronado Cajeta-it has the perfect consistency) which you can find in Mexican Grocery Stores or Target for that matter…

Syrup

3/4 Cup granulated sugar

1/4 Cup water

1/4 Cup light corn syrup

2 pinches of salt

Prep

Candy thermometer at the ready

3/4 Cup confectioners sugar placed in a ziplock bag with 1/2 Cup cornstarch, seal bag and shake to mix

9×9 or 8×8 inch pan lightly sprayed with non stick baking spray, then line both sides with parchment paper sling and brush lightly with soft butter again on all sides (clean hands work best)

medium bowl brushed lightly with soft butter

1 Cup + 2 Tbsp. caramel sauce (misc. list)

rubber spatula

wooden skewer sprayed with non stick spray

small offset spatula sprayed with non stick spray or lightly buttered

mesh sifter

 

• Assemble prep list as above and keep on a cookie sheet for ease of use
• In a small bowl prepare the “bloom” by placing the cold water and sprinkle over the gelatin. Let sit at room temperature. After two minutes stir gently then set aside
• In the bowl of a stand mixer place 1/4 cup light corn syrup (from the misc. list)
• Microwave the bloomed gelatin for 30 seconds
• Start heating the syrup contents in a medium non stick pan over medium high heat. Stir the contents 1-2 times, to mix, then don’t stir after that. Clip the candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and heat until soft ball stage (240° F) Meanwhile…
• Place the heated/bloomed gelatin in the mixer bowl along with the corn syrup fitted with the whisk and turn mixer on low speed (have the butter vanilla flavoring next to the mixer)
• When the syrup reaches 240 degrees, turn off the heat and pour the syrup down along the side of the mixer bowl and try to avoid the syrup hitting the whisk. Turn speed up to medium and whip for 5 minutes. Then increase speed to medium high for 5 minutes, then add the butter vanilla (or just vanilla) and whip on high for 2 more minutes.
• Stop the mixer, working quickly and remove about 1/4 of the marshmallow and place in the buttered bowl and mix with the caramel sauce. Return the caramel mallow mixture to the remaining mallow in the mixer bowl and mix gently in a figure eight pattern.
• Tip out the combined mixture into the prepared pan and smooth with the small offset spatula. At this point I like to dot the top with the (2 Tbsp. caramel) and use the long wooden skewer to mix the caramel into the top.
• Dust the top of the marshmallow with the confectioners sugar/cornstarch coating
• Allow the marshmallow to sit at room temperature uncovered in a cool dry place overnight to “cure”
• The following day or 8 hours later, dust a cutting board heavily with some of the coating and flip out the entire pan of marshmallows onto the board and dust the top with more coating. Cut into squares, and dip the sticky sides of the marshmallows into more of the coating, tapping off the excess. Store mallows in an airtight container.
• After a few days, mallows will most likely need to be dusted again.