This challenge was awesome! I can't say I like marshmallow cookies much, but I was so excited to make marshmallow, it wasn't true. And these turned out scrumptious. Very bad for my goals to look slim in that wedding dress, indeed. But worth extra time in the gym, for sure. Yum!
A word on marshmallow. I am a bad semi-vegetarian. I sometimes don't check to see what has gelatin in it and what doesn't. However, when it comes to the food I cook myself, I cannot bring myself to use gelatin or meat products ever. There are always alternatives, and to be honest, finding them and trying them out is pretty fun.
This marshmallow was no exception. Granted, it was much easier when I made the second batch at my future mother-in-laws, what with her electric mixer and piping bags. The first batch took some muscle; I had to bring in my buff man to help me "beat" (if you can even call it that, it was more like forceful stirring with a whisk) the mallows.
Anyhow, without further ado, as I have a dissertation to write and any further chatter is just me procrastinating, here are the instructions. Note for the second batch, I added 1/2 cup coconut to the cookie base-- fantastic. I used galaxy milk chocolate. And I used vanilla extract instead of a bean in the mallow.
Mallows(Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies)
Cookie base recipe courtesy Gale Gand, from Food Network website
Prep Time: 10 min
Inactive Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Serves: about 2 dozen cookies
• 3 cups (375grams/13.23oz) all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (112.5grams/3.97oz) white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 12 tablespoons (170grams/ 6 oz) unsalted butter
• 3 eggs, whisked together
• Homemade marshmallows, recipe follows
• Chocolate glaze, recipe follows
1. In a mixer with the paddle attachment, blend the dry ingredients.
2. On low speed, add the butter and mix until sandy.
3. Add the eggs and mix until combine.
4. Form the dough into a disk, wrap with clingfilm or parchment and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
5. When ready to bake, grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
7. Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness, on a lightly floured surface. Use a 1 to 1 1/2 inches cookie cutter to cut out small rounds of dough.
8. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool to room temperature.
9. Pipe a “kiss” of marshmallow onto each cookie. Let set at room temperature for 2 hours.
10. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or silicon mat.
11. One at a time, gently drop the marshmallow-topped cookies into the hot chocolate glaze.
12. Lift out with a fork and let excess chocolate drip back into the bowl.
13. Place on the prepared pan and let set at room temperature until the coating is firm, about 1 to 2 hours.
Vegetarian Marshmallow:
Ingredients:
• 60 mL water
• pinch of cream of tartar
• 255 g sugar, granulated
• 255 g light corn syrup
• ½ vanilla bean
• 85 g egg whites (about 3 egg whites)
• 5 g xanthan (0.76%)
Grind xanthan with a tablespoon of sugar. Set aside. Heat water, cream of tartar, remaining sugar, corn syrup and vanilla to 120ºC. Discard vanilla bean. Whisk egg whites for about 2 min until still soft. Continue whipping egg whites at slow speed while adding syrup slowly. Sprinkle xanthan mix while still whipping. Turn speed up and continue mixing for 2-3 min or until meringue pulls away from sides.
