Every time I read an article about the intricacies of the brain, I am floored. Without effort, our mind dissects observations and stimuli like touch, taste, smell - and catalogues them into our sensory memory. For some, memories come rushing back to them with a smell or images. But for me, it is taste. Every memorable event in my life has a taste and flavor combination attached to it. I remember my birthdays when ginger and lemon were synthesized because we would always eat at the same Asian restaurant with every passing year. I would stuff my face with York Peppermint Patties during long talks with my mom, whose words were filled with encouragement and wisdom. Camping trips with my dad were never complete without the roasting of marshmallows after night fall.
For our second recipe study on the marshmallow, I've created an ode to memories and family with flavors and textures. It is food that brings us together and flavors that encodes those moments into lasting memories. Please feel free to share some of your favorite flavor combinations along with the memories attached to them. And enjoy this ode to the moments I shared with my mom and dad with mint marshmallows covered in chocolate.
I used a recipe posted on Smitten Kitchen to create these delicate morsels. They may look like tofu but I am told they taste like a york peppermint patty, which I am perfectly alright with.
INGREDIENTS:
- About 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 3 1/2 envelopes (2 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
- 1 cup cold water, divided
- 2 cups granulated sugar (cane sugar worked just fine)
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large egg whites or reconstituted powdered egg whites
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon of mint extract
- 2 drops of green food coloring (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
- Oil and dust a 13- by 9- by 2-inch rectangular metal baking pan with some powdered sugar.
- In bowl of a standing electric mixer or in a large bowl sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold cold water, and let stand to soften.
- In a large saucepan, cook granulated sugar, corn syrup, second 1/2 cup of cold water, and salt over low heat, stir on occasion until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to medium and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240 degrees F. Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.
- Beat the mixture on high speed until it becomes white and thick. It should almost triple in volume. Overall, this could take 5-7 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites until they become powdered whites.
- Beat the eggs, vanilla, and mint extract into the sugar and gelatin mixture until they are completely combined. Then add the food coloring if desired. Mix well/
- Pour into baking pan and sift the top with powdered sugar.
- Let the marshmallow harden in the refrigerator for 3-5 hours. Then take out and remove from pan. With a knife, cut the marshmallow sheet in to bite-sized portions. Roll and dust the marshmallow squares in powdered sugar. Make sure to cover all sides in the powdered sugar.
INGREDIENTS FOR CHOCOLATE TOPPING:
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup of milk
DIRECTIONS:
- Mix together all ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
- Dip one side of marshmallow into sauce.
- Sit the marshmallow with the chocolate side up aside to allow the chocolate to harden.