Peppermint Stick Marshmallows

Ingredients:

1 cup cold water (divided into 1/2 cups)
2 Tablespoon + 1/2 Teaspoon Gelatin (Knox Brand)
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Light Corn Syrup
1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extracts
2 Teaspoons Pure Peppermint Extracts
5 Crushed up Peppermint Sticks/ Candy Canes
Butter
Powdered Sugar

Equipment:

Stand Mixer
Parchment Paper
Candy Thermometer
Pastry Brush
Small Offset Cake Spatula
Bench Knife/ Dough Scraper

Directions

1. Line a 9×9 square cake pan with parchment paper so that paper hangs over the edge of the pan (it helps to have two pieces of parchment and lay them in a “x” so all four sides of the pan are lined.)

2. Butter the parchment paper & sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar.

3. In the bowl of the mixer, pour 1/2 cup of COLD water into the bowl. Sprinkle (do not dump) gelatin into the water. Set aside.

4. In a sauce pan, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of water, the sugar, corn syrup & salt.

5. Over High heat, stir mixture until sugar dissolves. Once the sugar has dissolved, stop stirring and place the candy thermometer into the mixture. DO NOT stir sugar/corn syrup mixture after this point.

6. Bring mixture to a boil and let it reach 245 degrees F (soft ball stage). While waiting for the temperature to rise, we recommend wiping down the insides of the sauce pan with water (using a pastry brush). This will help sugar crystals from forming — trust us, you DO NOT WANT SUGAR CRYSTALS TO FORM!

7. Once sugar mixture has reached 245 degree F, pull from heat. BE VERY CAREFUL, as this mixture is scalding hot! Sugar burns hurt terribly bad, so please wear a oven mitt & proceed with extreme caution. If littles are helping make these, this is a an ADULT ONLY step.

8. Using the whisk attachment, start your stand mixer at medium speed. SLOWLY pour the sugar mixture into the bowl of the mixer. We find it best to pour the mixture down the side of the bowl in a slow and steady stream.

9. Once all the sugar mixture has been poured in, crank up the speed to medium/medium high (just not so high that the mixture is flying everywhere.)

10. Whip until mixture is bright white & triples in size (about 10-15 minute). Add in vanilla and peppermint extracts, and mix just until incorporated.

11. Pour mixture into prepare pan.

12. Using a buttered offset cake spatula (this keeps the marshmallow mixture from sticking to the spatula), spread marshmallow mixture evenly throughout the pan. If you want to make them nice and level, a dough scraper is a great tool to use.

13. Top with crushed peppermint stick. If omitting the candy topping, Dust with more powdered sugar.

14. Let sit overnight (uncovered)

15. Remove marshmallows from pan by grabbing the parchment paper that is hanging over the edge of the pan (leaving paper attached for now)

16. Dust counter with sifter powdered sugar. Invert the marshmallows so the top of them is face down. Remove parchment paper. Dust the bottom (which is now on top) with powdered sugar & then flip them face up again.

17. We found that using a buttered dough scraper was hands down the easiest way to cut these up. Cut into desired size.

18. Package up all cute & ENJOY!

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Tutorial, concept, photography & styling : Stevie Pattyn for The Sweet Lulu Blog

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