I’m kind of in disbelief that there are only a few short sleeps until 2011 is over. It’s been quite the year. These past few months have raced by at lightning speed, with work and excitement flooding the days. Right now, I’m sitting in my living room, with family. We’re all scattered on our various implements and gifts, in that post-Christmas joyfulness. Books, games, movies, and a little writing, here. Every time I’ve sat down to write in the past while, it’s been with a pre-defined purpose. Something that will be marked, graded, sent off to be analyzed by someone wiser than I. Although my final exams aren’t yet upon me, that time where I melt into the computer and pour out an essay that’s been simmering in the back of my head for awhile, that time has been postponed. Repeatedly put off while I write something I’m required to, or study quarks and organic chemistry (but don’t you dare get me wrong- I adore all of the science. It’s utterly enthralling. I can’t wait to learn more and more of it). Now, though, is time for rest and reconnection.
Boxing Day has always been one of those grand yet quiet days for me. Either a day in transit as we recuperate from the festivities of Christmas, or a day like this one. Waking up slowly, skiing, lazing about, with a hearty dash of loving food.
This time of year is one of sharing. Of giving. Of celebrating and loving. These marshmallows? I’ve been sharing them all about. Bags to friends, here and there. Spreading some holiday cheer, all around. Most of all, I’ve been dropping them into hot chocolate. I love to curl up with a cup while decompressing after the day, or while chatting with friends.
To make this recipe even better, it came from my dear friend Aimée, who writes both Simple Bites and Under the High Chair. When I visited her over the summer, she gave me one of my first tastes of homemade marshmallows. Cinnamon and vanilla ones, if I remember correctly. Heaven. I’ve played around with a few different recipes as of late. The vanilla bean ones from Ashley at Not Without Salt are sublime as well. In the spirit of the season though, here is my ever-so-slightly adapted recipe for peppermint marshmallows. If you’ve never had homemade marshmallows, I dare you to make some to ring in the new year, no matter what recipe you use. They’re positively magnificent, and incredibly easy. The only scary part is boiling the sugar. Aside from that, your mixer does all the work. Then, you have marshmallows that you can share with friends, who will be amazed that you! made! these!
Peppermint Marshmallows
Ingredients
3 envelopes of unflavoured gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
food colouring
icing sugar
Steps
Line a 9 by 13 inch pan with plastic wrap and lightly grease it with oil.
In your stand mixer equipped with the whisk attachment, pour the 1/2 cup of cold water and sprinkle the gelatin onto it. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.
In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water until uniform. Bring to a boil, then allow to boil hard for a minute.
Pour the boiling sugar mixture over the gelatin and add salt. Turn your mixer on to high, and beat for 12 minutes.
Add extracts and food colouring (I used enough red food colouring to achieve a pink colour, added drop by drop), and incorporate into mixture.
Scrape mixture into the prepared pan. The mixture will be very sticky, but just do your best. Spread the mixture as evenly as possible in the pan. Place an oiled sheet of plastic wrap on top, pressing the mixture even it out, and allow marshmallows to sit overnight.
When removing the marshmallow slab from the pan, ensure that you coat it completely with icing sugar, so is doesn’t stick to everything! Cut into bite-sized pieces with a sharp knife or kitchen shears, coating each cut marshmallow with icing sugar. Enjoy!
Soft, pillowy and collecting light. That crisp winter morning light is such a treat. Especially on days where I can watch it stream in, rather than being out the door before the first ray of sunlight makes its appearance.
After ensuring the top was coated with enough icing sugar, I flipped it over and covered the rest. With candy recipes, you just have to make sure to read the instructions. Make sure to follow them. I know that sounds obvious, and it is. Candy recipes are often simpler than we build them up to be (or at least that’s true for how they’ve been built up in my head!), so read and conquer. You can do it.
On the morning I was cutting these marshmallows, my friend Kate came over (Hi Kate!). I met her through this space. We baked together. One holiday recipe from my family (cookies!) and one from hers. She shared this spectacular bark, a chocolate-laden pistachio bark. Oh my. When my brother found it in the freezer (where it’s stored), he told me to get the recipe. He said he wanted to make it. That’s big, really big. This bark is so incredibly good. Go see Kate for the recipe. I have no doubt that it’ll be popping up in my house sometime soon.
No matter what, marshmallows are a fun thing to throw together. Taste some homemade marshmallows soon, if you haven’t already.
I hope you’re all enjoying the holiday season and copious amounts of hot chocolate! I can’t wait to see what marvelous things 2012 will bring to all of us. I’m positive it’s going to be a phenomenal year, just as 2011 has been. Wishing merry merry, happy happy days to all of you!
xoxo
Lauren
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
I love the idea of these beautiful peppermint marshmallows in hot chocolate Lauren! Happy Holidays and I wish you an amazing 2012 🙂
Love these marshmallows, Lauren! Sounds like you had a nice holiday and some time to relax and write too. That’s always nice as well. Happy holidays and here’s to big things in the new year for you!
Oooh – peppermint marshmallows in hot chocolate sounds amazing 🙂 Lauren, I know 2012 will be an spectacular year for you and I can’t wait to follow along your adventures! Also, I need to learn how to make marshmallows as beautiful as these… Best wishes for a wonderful 2012 to you and your family Lauren XOX
Ooh yum. These are so pretty and look fluffy and delicious.
Yum! These look awesome, Lauren. Thanks for sharing and Happy Holidays!
Hi! These sound amazing and would love to know if they would work if I used unflavored vegetarian gel instead of gelatin.
I’m not talking about using Agar-Agar at all, but the type of vegetarian gel powder that comes in boxes much like animal based gelatin does. Usually found in Kosher stores and such. I don’t eat gelatin and would love to know if you think it would hold up just as well in your recipe…
Also, if I used Golden Sugar Syrup instead of corn syrup ( I think there’s a company who makes it…) do you think it would be ok here too? Have allergies to corn.
Thanks!!
Hi Lauren,
You have a very nice blog. Do you think these would work with agave nectar or coconut nectar instead of corn syrup? I try to keep things as low glycemic as possible. I will try it out… Thanks for the recipe. Blessings, Ester
Happy New Year, Lauren! Reading your blog continues to be a delight! Much love to you in 2012!
Ali, I honestly don’t know. I only started making marshmallows a month or so ago, so by no means am I an expert on them yet! I have seen some recipes that use honey instead of corn syrup, so the golden sugar syrup could work, then with the vegetarian gel, I have no clue. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to give it a go, though. Worst case, it doesn’t work. Best, you have beautiful marshmallows!
Ester, as I was saying to Ali, I don’t know. You could search out some other recipes or simply try it. Candy-making is very new to me, so if you want a more reliable voice to ask, I’d search out pastry chef blogs!
YUM! YUM! YUM! YUM! Absolutely beautiful!
Can’t wait to make these with my daughter!
🙂
V
Happy 2012
Happy New Year to you, Lauren! It sounds like you are enjoying your time away from all things school related and getting some relaxing in. I love homemade marshmallows and have made them a couple of times, but not peppermint. I can imagine these are a heavenly little bite of pink 🙂
Homemade marshmallows are the best! I don’t think I’ve ever had a peppermint version, but I imagine they must be delicious. Happy New Year to you!
Thanks for the shout-out! hehe 🙂
My niece makes GF goodies for Christmas, and this year’s plate inc several marshmallows w/ coconut flakes on top! A lovely toffee or bark as well ….
I’ve always wanted to make “real” marshmallows, using the herb marshmallow ROOT! I’ve not looked for a recipe – need to! It has natural mucilage, and honey would be an obvious choice!
Thanks for sharing!
These look absolutely delicious. While one of my teens is not living with celiac she loves cooking and eating delicious food.
I haven’t made marshmallows in over a year!! Its definitely time to try them out again. So good in hot chocolate!
I love the idea of homemade marshmallows! And peppermint flavored…those must be heavenly. Someday I want to give a marshmallow recipe a try. They are SO good!
Home made marshmallows,sound yum..they will be nise to give away to friends 4 chrismas,
My cousin makes these, but lines her pan with powdered sugar, then dusts the top with powdered sugar. The next morning, I cut them up with a pizza cutter rolled in powdered sugar or kitchen scissors. I rolled the sticky sides in powdered sugar. My other friend rolls her sticky marshmallows in toasted coconut.