Festive Drinking Chocolate with Homemade Marshmallows
A warm cup of decadent, drinking chocolate topped with festive homemade marshmallows is just thing to bring everyone a little comfort and joy this holiday season. For an adult version, adding a dash of dark rum or brandy makes it extra delicious. At Flour Craft Gourmet, we offer several varieties of Cacoco’s organic, coconut-sweetened, drinking chocolate in various flavors for you to enjoy.
Homemade marshmallows are easy and SO much more delicious than any kind you can buy in the store. You can cut them into various festive shapes using a standard cookie cutter, dusted in cornstarch or powdered sugar. You will need to plan ahead for these as marshmallows do take a bit of time to set up to perfect consistency. I’ll walk you through it in the instructions below!
Yields 4 servings
For the Marshmallows:
3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 1/4 cups white sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla extract (or extract of your choice like peppermint, orange, or almond)
powdered sugar, for dusting
Combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and allow to sit while you make the syrup.
Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240°F on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat.
With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin. Put the mixer on high speed and whip until the mixture is very thick, about 15 minutes. Add the vanilla (or extracts) and mix thoroughly.
Generously dust an 8 by 12-inch pyrex (or similar) baking dish with confectioners' sugar. Pour the marshmallow mixture into the pan, smooth the top, and dust with more confectioners' sugar. Allow to stand uncovered overnight until it dries out.
Turn the marshmallows onto a board and cut them in shapes or squares. Dust them with more confectioners' sugar to prevent sticking together. Store in an airtight jar or zip-top bag for up to 1 week in a moisture-free environment.
For the Drinking Chocolate:
2 cups milk (or milk alternative like almond or coconut milk)
3/4 cup drinking chocolate
Blend milk and drinking chocolate in a blender to combine thoroughly or whisk by hand. Do not stir as the chocolate will clump. Heat on the stovetop to just under a boil. Top with a homemade marshmallow and enjoy!
Note- Suggested serving size is 1/2 cup per person as the drinking chocolate is very rich. Scale the recipe up or down to suit your desired portion size.
