Wednesday, February 2, 2011

What to do on a snow day?

The best thing to do on a snow day is...curl up with a good book and a cup of hot coco (extra marshmallows please)!  Here's a great recipe for homemade marshmallows.
Marshmallow Snowflakes
Float these snowflake-shaped marshmallows in cups of hot chocolate.

(adapted from Martha Stewart)

Ingredients

Makes about 100
  • 2 envelopes (each 1 scant tablespoon) unflavored gelatin
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2/3 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Vegetable-oil cooking spray

Directions

  1. Coat a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray; line with parchment paper. Spray parchment; set aside. Pour 1/3 cup cold water into the bowl of an electric mixer. Sprinkle with gelatin; let mixture soften, about 5 minutes.
  2. Place sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/3 cup water in a medium saucepan. Cover; bring to a boil. Remove lid; cook, swirling pan occasionally, until syrup reaches 238 degrees (soft-ball stage) on a candy thermometer, about 5 minutes.
  3. With mixer on low speed, whisk gelatin mixture, and slowly pour the syrup in a steady stream down the side of the bowl (to avoid splattering). Gradually raise speed to high; beat until mixture is thick, white, and has almost tripled in volume, about 12 minutes. Add vanilla, and beat 30 seconds to combine.
  4. Pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet; smooth with an offset spatula. Let stand at room temperature, uncovered, until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.
  5. Coat a 1- or 2-inch snowflake-shaped cookie cutter with cooking spray to prevent it from sticking. Cut out as many individual marshmallows as possible; coat cutter with more spray as needed. Use marshmallows immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

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