I've never tried making homemade marshmallows before because I've always thought they would be to difficult to make. I heart Cooking Clubs: Kids at Heart was my inspiration to throw caution to the wind and make these fluffy confections with my kids.
First, let me give you a little background on I Heart Cooking Clubs. This club is a stress-free cooking club with a revolving roster of chefs.
Every six months, a new chef is chosen out of a line up of 4-5 well known culinary aficionados. This round club members will be cooking from Giada De Laurentiis's repertoire. Each week a theme is chosen and anyone interested in participating can link a recipe that fits that weeks theme.
"This cooking club aims to grow and change with its members and explore other cooks and books in the future."Click here for more...The blogroll is filled with an array of food bloggers and chefs. Stop by the site to learn more, and become a part of this wonderful cooking club.
Giada De Laurentis: I admire her professionalism and her effortless way behind the camera, she has such a easy manner in the kitchen and her happy spirit is contagious.
Staying true to the theme this week I tackled Giada's recipe for:
Homemade Orange Marshmallows
This is a recipe that I'll be keeping in my kitchen for those cold winter days when we're all stuck inside and the kids need a "sweet" diversion.
The kids and I decided to make our marshmallows with orange and lemon flavoring and add a few drops of food coloring.
Orange & Lemon flavored marshmallows
Butter, for greasing the pan
Powdered sugar, for dusting
½ cup water, plus ¼ cup
3 tablespoons (3 packets) unflavored gelatin
2 cups sugar
½ cup evaporated milk
Giada's recipe: 1 large orange, zested
My recipe: 1 ½ teaspoon pure orange or lemon extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Colored decorating sugar
*can be found at cake decorating stores*
Special equipment: a candy thermometer
Directions
Butter the bottom and sides of of an 8 by 8-inch straight sided baking pan. Dust liberally with sifted powdered sugar and set aside. Really...dust very liberally or they will stick to the pan like glue!
Pour ½ cup water into bowl of stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Sprinkle the gelatin over water and allow to soften, about 10 minutes.
In a 3-quart saucepan, combine sugar, evaporated milk and ¼ cup water. Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, without stirring, until candy thermometer registers 240 degrees F, about 10-12 minutes. Pour hot syrup over gelatin mixture. Beat the mixture at low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and beat until thick, fluffy and triple in volume, about 10-12 minutes. Beat in orange zest or lemon extract and vanilla extract, add a few drops of food coloring, mix until combined. Using a spatula, scrape the mixture into prepared pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle with decorating sugar. Allow the mixture to set, uncovered, in a cool place (not the refrigerator) for at least 8 hours or overnight. Using scissors, dusted with powdered sugar, cut the marshmallows into 1-inch squares. Dip cut sides into powdered sugar to prevent sticking. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
These marshmallows are light and fluffy and really taste like...marshmallows! I don't know what else I had expected them to taste like but it felt like a culinary victory to achieve the real deal! Creamy and soft, these sweet little morsels would be a perfect accompaniment to any hot drink or just eat them right out of the bowl like we did! It made the kid in me happy and you can bet, my kids were doing the happy dance! Literally! Sugar high! Note to self: Have all sledding stuff ready before making marshmallows...
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 8 hours
Cook Time: 12 minutes
level: Easy...if I can make these anyone can!!
Serves: 6 - 8
Thanks to Giada for this easy and fun, kid friendly recipe and to I Heart Cooking Clubs for the inspiration!
Becky
I've never made marshmallows before, but these look soo good, and your pictures are right on. I can see an orange marshmallow on top of hot cocoa right now. Thanks for sharing.
All Our Fingers in the Pie
How beautiful! I have yet to make marshmallows. It will be high on my list now.
Rebecka
Ty'sMommy, Thanks for visiting my blog! I'm very excited to join in the Bacon Games! I hope you give the marshmallow recipe a go...your son would love them!Thank you Brenda! I love taking pictures of my food almost as much as I like making and eating them. Most of the credit has to go to my Canon PowerShot digital camera. I'm amazed every time I shoot a pic at what this little camera can do!Couscous, I think you need to put an electric mixer on your Christmas list! I've had my stand mixer for over 7 years and I use it all of the time. My hubby got it for me as a Christmas gift and I can't tell you how thrilled I was to receive a kitchen gadget. I'm really easy to shop for during the holidays because I never turn down kitchen power tools!!
Couscous & Consciousness
These look amazing - I love the idea of the lemon and orange flavouring. I've never made marshmallows - partly because I don't have an electric mixer - this recipe almost makes me want to go out and buy one just so I can try these 🙂
Brenda
Your pictures are gorgeous! I'm not fond of marshmallows either but I would love to try yours. They're so pretty. They do sound like they would be difficult to make but apparently not! :o)
Ty'sMommy
I have never seen these from Giada before - how fabulous! I love it. I have always wanted to try making marshmallows but never have been brave enough.And hey, thanks for stopping by my blog! Looking forward to seeing you over at The Bacon Games!
Rebecka
Hi Kim, homemade marshmallows in in rice crispy treats...great idea! Adding rice crispy cereal to the grocery list! I hope you get the time to make these with your daughter!
Kim
I'm so glad to see that you made these! I remember watching the episode where she made these and have been wanting to make them ever since. They look like the perfect recipe for kids and me too 🙂 Hmmmmm...perfect for hot chocolate and maybe even homemade rice crispy treats.
Rebecka
Deb, my kids loved making these! the hardest thing was not being able to eat them right away!Natashya, Don't be scared..these were so easy to make! I was worried to try them too but so pleased when they turned out so well. Giada's makes recipes easy to understand and she is always right on!Deb, I'm not sure how the humidity in Hawaii would effect to texture of the marshmallows? I hope you try making Giada's recipe and let me know how they turn out!kf, I don't know if the marshmallows are really very good for the culinary smackdown citrus theme but I really wanted to participate nonetheless! I hope you get your prize box soon!
Natashya KitchenPuppies
Wow Wow Wow! I have always wanted to make marshmallows too, but am a little scared. Definitely a culinary hurdle crossed! Great pick for IHCC Kid at Heart.
Cucina di Barbara
Oh Rebecka,these are my favorites...Well done!
Debinhawaii
What a fun kid project. I have only made marshmallows once and might were not nearly as gorgeous as yours! Great pick and great job. 😉
kitchen flavours
These are fantastic! Looks gorgeous! My daughter has been "bugging" me to make marshamallows for sometime now, even since she saw it in my Dorie's cookbook! LOL! Yours look very pretty. Thank you for submitting this to Culinary Smackdown. Good luck!
Rebecka
MM, I only like marshmallows when there toasted, resting between two graham crackers and a chunk of melted chocolate...!The homemade marshmallows are light years apart form the store bought version. Very creamy and flavorful. I'm going to make peppermint and chocolate marshmallows to take to my in-laws for Thanksgiving...Yummy! Hope you try them out...I'm curious to know if you'd like them
MM
Even though I don't like marshmallows, I'd be willing to try these based on your pictures. What a fun thing to make!
Rebecka
Maggie, Yum! Ambrosia salad with homemeade marshmallows!!I was amazed how easy they were to make and the possiblilties are endless for flavors and colors...Thanks for stopping by today!
Maggie
I love homemade marshmallows! These would be so good in ambrosia salad.