Cocoa Dusted Marshmallows

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unflavored powdered gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla

confectioners’ sugar for dredging
unsweetened cocoa for dredging

Directions:

In a large bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Allow to seep for 10 minutes. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a vigorous boil and boil for 1 minute. Pour boiling syrup into gelatin and mix at high speed for 1 minute. Add the salt and beat for 11 minutes. Add vanilla and beat for 1 minute. Oil your hands and a spatula and scrape into a 9 x 13 inch pan sprayed with oil and spread evenly. After pouring marshmallow mixture into the pan, smooth it with the back of your oiled spatula. Allow to rest 3 hours. Invert the pan into plate full of cocoa and confectioners’ sugar (in equal portions) and dredge the marshmallow through. Remove and cut into pieces with kitchen sheers, a knife or use a small cookie cutter to cut them into shapes. Dredge each piece of marshmallow in confectioners’ sugar/cocoa so all four sides are coated in the sugar/cocoa mixture*. Store in an air tight container.

*you could also toss the cut marshmallows in a Ziploc bag full of cocoa and confectioners’ sugar to coat.
My thoughts:

There seems to have been a spate of marshmallow making around the world. Seeing these pretty creations inspired me to revisit the easy recipe (no egg whites! no candy thermometers!) for peppermint marshmallows I created last year. I made a few modifications and made a batch of vanilla marshmallows dredged in cocoa and sugar. They have a smooth vanilla flavor and a hint of chocolate in each bite. I still think making marshmallows is as close to magic as you can get in the kitchen: one minute you have a bowl of molten sugar then suddenly it is fluffy marshmallow. Amazing!

13 Comments

  1. I have homemade marshmallows and cocoa on my list every Christmas, but I’ve yet to actually follow through with making either! Perhaps this will be the year. Those are adorable!

  2. Oh, they are just too cute!! How on earth did you get the heart shape? when I was cutting my marshmallows I wanted to try shapes, but the mixture was so sticky that cutting them with a knife was hard enough 🙁

  3. That looks amazing! I’ve always wanted to make marshmallow!

  4. Ok, I’m going to try making marshmallows again, it’s decided. No candy thermometer really sold me on the idea, and I figure it can’t be any worse than last time I made them.

  5. Should’ve made xmas peeps!! 😉

  6. I just used a metal cookie cutter that was open on both sides.I powdered the tops and bottoms first, then cut and dredged the sides. They really weren’t that sticky.

  7. I want to make marshmallows so badly this year – these look so easy!

  8. Very cute marshmallows.
    I would think that homemade marshmallows would be a lot of work, but I may have to take your recipe and advice and give them a try.

  9. wow! you made your own marshmallows? I haven’t tried doing that yet, but would love to. This has got to go on my to-do list 🙂

  10. I love the heartshape! These are a great idea.

  11. These were so yummy. I hope mine turn out as well. I think I am going to make these as gifts with homemade hot cocoa mix.

  12. I have been unable to cut my marshmallows using metal snowflake cookie cutters. Any suggestions? I have been using the Martha Stewart marshmallow recipe if that makes any difference.

  13. Debbie: I have no idea. I have never made Martha’s recipe, only my own.