Making Peppermint Marshmallows with Macaroni Kid
By: Sarah Swistak and Dawn Pellas
Updated: January 15, 2013
Julie Follansbee, the Publisher and Editor for Macaroni Kid Johnstown, joins Dawn to cook up a deliciously fun winter treat!
This time, she's making homemade peppermint marshmallows! She says it's a great way to use up those leftover candy canes from the holidays!
Check out Julie's Step By Step instructions for Peppermint Marshmallows online, complete with photos!
To make Peppermint Marshmallows:
You need:
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons Knox unflavored gelatin
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup (about 7) candy canes
1/8 teaspoon salt
Tools
13x9x2" pan
Foil (preferably nonstick)
Nonstick spray
Food processor or blender with ice crushing setting
Mesh Strainer
measuring spoons and cups
Mixer
Method:
- put 2/3 cup of water into the bowl in which you will be mixing ingredients
- sprinkle gelatin on top to soften
- Line the baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray.
- Sift the cornstarch and confectioners sugar together into a small bowl
- Dust the pan with about 1/4 cup of the cornstarch sugar mix making sure it is completely covered and tilt to get the sides
- Peel plastic off of candy canes(Note from Julie: I find it works best to break at the crook and peel) and put pieces into food processor or blender. Cover top with a damp dish towel as it gets dusty! Process or blend on ice crushing. Let settle before you take off lid.
- Put granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt and candy cane powder in a saucepan over medium heat and stir occasionally until melted...about 10 minutes
- Strain to get any lumps or unmelted candy into mixing bowl with gelatin.
- Beat mixture on high speed (Note from Julie: I find it best to work up to high and if you have a Kitchen Aid stand mixer, absolutely put the shield on!! This is STICKY if it splatters!). This takes about 10-15 minutes. It will get very fluffy and turn a pretty light pink!
- Spread the mixture into your pan and smooth the top (the OXO Stainless Steel Multi-Purpose Scraper & Chopper is perfect for this!)
- Dust the top with a few tablespoons of the corn starch confectioners sugar mixture.
- Cover with waxed paper and let sit at room temperature for several hours until firm.
- When firm, lift foil with marshmallows out of pan onto a flat surface.
- With the OXO blade (no need to wet this!) or a wet knife, cut into 6 blocks.
- Cut each of those blocks into 9 pieces
- Toss the squares into the corn starch sugar mixture completely covering sides
- Let rest one additional hour
Serve with hot chocolate!
