Chaotic Christmas Countdown Day 47

Chaotic Christmas Countdown

Day 47

MMMMMMMM.....MMMMMMM....MMMMMM

Hot Chocolate on a Stick

and

Homemade Marshmallows!!!!

Ok!!!  I saw these hot chocolate on a stick at the "Christmas Gathering" this weekend but just stumbled upon the marshmallows!!!  My recipes came from MAKE AND TAKES!! If you have NOT ever had homemade marshmallows (not that I had either) then LIFE IS NOT COMPLETE!!!!  They are AWESOME!!!  Can not explain it but you HAVE to try them!!!  The recipes are pretty simple and not too time consuming BUT you have to know that the Hot Chocolate TAKES 12 HOURS TO SET UP!!!!!!!! 

Aren't they SOOOO STINKIN CUTE??????

SOOOOO, on to the recipes!!!

HOT CHOCOLATE ON A STICK

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
•  14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 3 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
• One 4-oz bar unsweetened chocolate broken into small pieces ( I used the German chocolate)
• Wooden sticks
• 8″x8″ pan, lined with parchment paper

Heat the cream and sweetened condensed milk over medium-low heat until it starts steaming, stirring periodically. Remove from heat and add chocolate! Stir and let sit for 10 minutes, then put back on medium-low heat and stir with a whisk until chocolate is completely melted and shiny! I added a couple of teaspoons of vanilla!

Pour chocolate into prepared pan and spread chocolate as level as you possibly can. Let it sit FOR AT LEAST 12 HOURS!!!!

Remove chocolate from pan and cut, top side face down, into squares. Divide the block into sixths each direction, so your squares will be a bit larger than 1″ x 1″. I used a long knife and later read that I should have run my knife under hot water to keep it from sticking to the chocolate!!!!

One stick is good for a regular coffee cup full of milk!!

HOMEMADE MARSHMALLOWS

3 envelopes unflavored gelatin

1 cup ice cold water, divided in halves

1 1/2 cups Sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

Nonstick spray

Pour gelatin into the bowl of a  mixer set up with the whisk attachment along with 1/2 cup of the water!!!!

In a small saucepan combine 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook  4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, this takes a while!!!  I just kept standing there staring at it!!  ;)

 Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.

Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes! Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping!

Prepare the baking pan!!!

Combine the confectioners’ sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later!!!

When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan!!  THIS is VERY hard!!!  It is EXTREMELY STICKY!!!!  Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover!!!  I spread the sugar/cornstarch mixture smoothly with a spoon!! Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours!!!

Dump the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza cutter dusted with the confectioners’ sugar mixture. Lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary.  These can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks!!!!!

I am VERY PROUD of my accomplishments!!!  Who would have ever known that you could make HOMEMADE MARSHMALLOWS????

I am going to sit down and enjoy myself a NICE HOT CUP OF HOT CHOCOLATE with HOMEMADE MARSHMALLOWS!!!

I am sitting here thinking that I am going to package these up in groups of 4-6 and give them for

Christmas Presents!!!

Sounds like a plan to me!!

See you tomorrow for

Day 48!!!!!