Did you know that it's really easy to make homemade marshmallows and hot chocolate? And that they taste incredible?! The marshmallows are soo much better than the bagged ones that you buy in the store. It's amazing what omitting the tetrasodium pyrophosphate can do...
I dug out my homemade marshmallow and hot chocolate recipes earlier this week and made a batch so we could enjoy some at home and give some away for holiday teacher gifts. To say that my daughters love them is a huge understatement. My birthday was a few days ago and the cards that they made me had a bit of a recurring theme:
Hopefully their teachers will love their gift of marshmallows and hot chocolate as much as my girls do:
More about the teacher gift packaging and those adorbs candy cane spoons after the recipes. We've got some marshmallows and hot chocolate to make first:
Homemade Marshmallows
Ingredients:
1/2 c. powdered sugar1/4 c. cornstarch
3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 c. ice cold water, divided
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
vegetable shortening (Crisco)
A few notes before you start:
*It's easiest to use a stand mixer but if you only have a hand mixer (like me), that works too. You can even skip your arm exercises at the gym that day. Whichever kind of mixer you use, dig out your whisk attachment because that's the one you'll want for doing the mixing.
*You will need a candy thermometer or other thermometer that goes up to at least 240 degrees F.
*Wash all of the dishes as soon as you're done making the marshmallows. I know, sometimes I tend to leave mine lingering in the sink too but don't do it this time. The marshmallow mixture will harden on your bowls and utensils like a rock if they sit for a while. Then you have to do lots of soaking before you can clean them and that's just no fun.
*Wash all of the dishes as soon as you're done making the marshmallows. I know, sometimes I tend to leave mine lingering in the sink too but don't do it this time. The marshmallow mixture will harden on your bowls and utensils like a rock if they sit for a while. Then you have to do lots of soaking before you can clean them and that's just no fun.
Directions:
*Combine the powdered sugar and cornstarch in small bowl. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 baking or jelly roll pan very lightly with Crisco. Also grease a spatula. Add the powdered sugar/cornstarch mix to a sifter and sift to coat the bottom and sides of the pan (this is best done over the sink!) and the spatula. Keep the remaining mix to use later.
*Hand mix the gelatin and 1/2 c. cold water in a large bowl (if you will be using a stand mixer, put it in the stand mixer bowl). Let it sit while you cook the syrup mixture.
*In a small saucepan, mix the remaining 1/2 c. water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue cooking, mixing occasionally, until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F. It will take about 7-8 minutes.
*Once the syrup mixture reaches the 240 degrees, remove it from the heat.
*Turn the mixer on low speed and, while mixing, very slowly pour the hot syrup mixture down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup mixture, increase the mixer speed to high. Whip until it becomes very thick, about 12-15 minutes. During the last minute of whipping, add the vanilla. When you're done it will look a lot like marshmallow fluff:
*Immediately after finishing mixing, pour the marshmallow mixture into your pan, using your coated spatula to spread it evenly. Use your sifter to dust the top with the sugar and cornstarch mixture until it's lightly covered. Keep the remainder of the sugar/cornstarch mix to use later.
*Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
*Use a knife to separate the marshmallow from the edges of the pan, lay parchment paper on top of the pan, and then flip the pan over onto a cutting board so that the marshmallow comes out.
*Lightly grease a pizza wheel with Crisco and sprinkle with the sugar/cornstarch mixture. Use the pizza wheel to cut the marshmallows into 1 inch squares.
*Once cut, generously dust all sides of each marshmallow with the sugar/cornstarch mixture. (I do this by sifting a layer of the mixture onto a cutting board and rolling the marshmallows in it). You'll end up with 8-9 dozen of these fluffy, scrumptious beauties:
*Let the cut marshmallows sit uncovered for about an hour so that they develop a bit of a skin (this helps keep them from sticking to each other). Store in airtight container - if you are going to be eating them in just a few days they are fine to keep at room temp but otherwise, keep them in the fridge to keep them fresh longer. They. Are. Delicious.
And now the hot chocolate mix - super, super simple:
5 c. instant milk powder
3 c. powdered sugar
1 1/4 c. Hershey's cocoa powder
1 c. powdered creamer
Directions:
*Put milk powder in a a food processor or blender and blend until it's a fine powder.
*In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk powder, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and powdered creamer. Stir to combine all ingredients.
*Store mixture in an airtight container.
*To make a cup of hot chocolate, pour 3/4 c. water into a mug with 1/3 c. mix. The recipe makes enough mix for about 30 servings.
For our teacher gifts, I found these galvanized bins at Michaels and simply wrapped a ribbon around them, using a few glue dots to hold the ribbon in place.
Since the bins are curved, you'll have to angle your ribbon up in the back:
And now the hot chocolate mix - super, super simple:
Hot Chocolate Mix
Ingredients: 5 c. instant milk powder
3 c. powdered sugar
1 1/4 c. Hershey's cocoa powder
1 c. powdered creamer
Directions:
*Put milk powder in a a food processor or blender and blend until it's a fine powder.
*In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk powder, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and powdered creamer. Stir to combine all ingredients.
*Store mixture in an airtight container.
*To make a cup of hot chocolate, pour 3/4 c. water into a mug with 1/3 c. mix. The recipe makes enough mix for about 30 servings.
For our teacher gifts, I found these galvanized bins at Michaels and simply wrapped a ribbon around them, using a few glue dots to hold the ribbon in place.
Along with one mason jar filled with marshmallows and another filled with hot chocolate mix, I added a bundle of edible candy cane spoons. Is it just me or are they beyond cute?
They come individually wrapped and are peppermint flavored. Love them. You can get them from Oriental Trading Company {here} or you can find them on Amazon (often with free shipping).
I finished off each teacher gift with a tag that has the recipe for the perfect cup of hot cocoa - you can download the tag that I made in two sizes {here}.
Now go get mixing... and enjoy!!!!
