Candy/ Dessert/ Desserts

Princess Marshmallows

Remember these from your childhood?

So, what is everyone doing these quarantined, cancelling of events, panic at the grocery store times?  I’m hoping you are safe, healthy and finding something to do to keep busy.

I went to the grocery the other day not to buy a hundred rolls of toilet paper (still don’t understand that) but to stock up on groceries so I could pre-cook meals for when I have shoulder replacement surgery on March 31. Within two days I had 14 meals put in the freezer so I’m prepared. As far as the flu scare goes, I’m still going out. (As of today, I’m staying in and keeping busy crafting and cooking.

I bought a Cricut machine back in January and this is the perfect time to sit upstairs and craft, craft, craft and a girl needs supplies, right? I probably have bought everything I could use for a year so far and haven’t made my first paper flower. Oh well, I’ll get to it in the next couple of weeks.

These Princess Marshmallows remind me of an easier time when life was easy with no devices to keep us from talking to each other, no negative media, gas at 25 cents a gallon, kids ran around all over town without their mothers on their coat tails, and  I could walk across the street and watch my husband (then boyfriend) play ball.

My mother actually bought princess marshmallows in a package just like the normal ones. Covered in toasted coconut these were delicious not at all like the ones you drop into a cup of hot chocolate or spear for your s’mores. Whatever happened to those princess marshmallows from way back when? I have no idea; and couldn’t even find them after “googling” for a while.

I decided to make my own and used some sweetened and unsweetened coconut I had on hand. I simply slow toasted it in the oven and popped it into my Vitamin and finely shredded it. The marshmallows were delicious and I even tried making an open face s’more for my hub and then a deconstructed s’more just because. 

Hope you will give these a try. My first attempt at any kind of marshmallow and it left me wondering why I had not made these before. So, if you need a fun activity with the kids/grandkids at home, give them a try. I guarantee you there will no be a rush on unflavored gelatin at the grocery.

BLAST FROM THE PAST: My Egg Flower Soup is a delicious soup to keep you warm on one of those cool nights we may still have this spring.

I’m not giving you 18 pictures of something so simple so here are a few of the “making of marshmallows”.

Can’t get much simpler than these ingredients.

The sugar, water and syrup get cooked to a soft ball stage on you candy thermometer. 

Into the bowl with the dissolved gelatin/water mixture you will slowly stream in the hot syrup, beating for about 12 minutes until it gets thick and starts to cool.

You will add in the flavoring in the last 2 minutes of beating and this is what the finished mixture looks like right before you pour it into your plastic wrapped lined pan that you have sprayed.

After it has cooled and set in the pan for 5 hours or over night, lift it out of the pan and peel off the top layer of plastic wrap.

Cut the marshmallow into about 2″ squares (or smaller) and roll all edges in the toasted coconut.  If you do not like coconut, see notes in instructions.

Yum!

My deconstructed s’more. For this one I simply used Hershey’s syrup. If I were to serve this for a dinner party (casual) I would make a homemade fudge sauce and homemade graham crackers. For this one, I was working with what I had.

Princess Marshmallows

Ingredients

  • 1/2 c. cold water
  • 3 pkg unflavored gelatin .75 oz.
  • 2 c. sugar
  • 3/4 c. light corn syrup
  • 1/4 c. water
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 1 Tbsp. vanilla or use part coconut extract
  • 4 c. coconut sweetened or unsweetened

Instructions

  1. Put the 1/2 cup cold water in the bowl of your stand mixer and sprinkle on the three packages of gelatin. Let this sit while you are making the syrup.
  2. Prepare a 9"x9" pan. Line bottom and edges with plastic wrap. I use one piece one way and another piece going the other way to make sure all surfaces are lined. Spray this with cooking spray and set aside.
  3. In a small saucepan combine the sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water. Stir until well mixed. Bring to a boil and continue to boil until this reaches 240° (soft ball stage). This can take 5-8 minutes. Once it reaches the soft ball stag, remove from heat.
  4. Stir the gelatin a bit to loosen it up. With the mixer (whisk attachment) turned to medium-high speed, slowly drizzle in the sugar mixture. Add in the salt. Turn the mixer on high and beat for about 10-12 minutes. The bowl may need scraping down from the sides. Add in the vanilla (or coconut extract and vanilla) the last 2 minutes of beating
  5. Scrape the whipped mixture into your prepared baking pan. You can use a scraper, your hands or plastic gloves to smooth the top down; just make sure to spray whatever you are using with cooking spray. When smooth use another piece of plastic wrap that you have sprayed and cover the top of the marshmallows. Set aside for 5-6 hours or overnight before trying to cut.
  6. For the coconut: put your coconut on a baking sheet and bake slowly at 275° (watching closely) until a golden brown. Cool then put in food process and grind to small pieces.
  7. When you are ready to cut the marshmallows, flip over the pan onto a work surface and peel off the top piece of plastic wrap. Cut into 1" up to 2" squares. Take each piece and dip all sides into the coconut and set on dish. Store these in air tight container. If you do not want coconut topping, mix 1 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 cup cornstarch and roll the marshmallows in this mixture.

Recipe Notes

These will stay soft for about 2 weeks but I don't think they will last that long once you have tasted a fresh marshmallow.

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