SPECTRALS

just finished up a week long tour with SPECTRALS in europe.
AMAZING songs + AMAZING kids.

love you guys forever

Merry Christmas Neighbors Vanilla Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting

These cupcakes are from the "Cupcakes from the CakeDoctor" book...she calls the recipe "The Best Birthday Cupcakes" but I think they are the best Christmas vanilla cupcakes...Other than Billy's Vanilla Vanilla cupcakes...and Layla seems to think so too!

Found the cute cupcake liners at Pier One...who would have thought. And, I'd like to give a shout-out to our cupcake-loving neighbors Arthur and Linda and a little further down our street Marie and Teddy (her doggy who is so cute!).

Merry Christmas, Everyone!! See you in the New Year!

CQ and Layla

Merry Christmas Neighbors Vanilla Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting

These cupcakes are from the "Cupcakes from the CakeDoctor" book...she calls the recipe "The Best Birthday Cupcakes" but I think they are the best Christmas vanilla cupcakes...Other than Billy's Vanilla Vanilla cupcakes...and Layla seems to think so too!

Found the cute cupcake liners at Pier One...who would have thought. And, I'd like to give a shout-out to our cupcake-loving neighbors Arthur and Linda and a little further down our street Marie and Teddy (her doggy who is so cute!).

Merry Christmas, Everyone!! See you in the New Year!

CQ and Layla

Chocolate Candy Cane Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients:

for the cookies:
1 egg, at room temperature
1 cup flour
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

for the cream filling:
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup cold butter
1/4 cup crushed candy canes
2 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 teaspoon salt


Directions:
For the cookies:
Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350. Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add the egg. Mix thoroughly. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the dry ingredients. Mix until a thick dough forms. Sprinkle a clean, flat surface with flour*. Roll the dough out until 1/8 inch thick, taking care to roll only in one direction. Cut with cookie cutters. Place 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets. Bake for 8 minutes. Carefully remove from the pan to cool on wire racks.

For the filling:
In a small pan, mix flour with milk and boil until thick. Cool. Beat until fluffy and add other ingredients (except for the candy cane bits) one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the candy cane bits. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Spread the filling on the underside of half of the cookies. Top with the remaining cookies.


*Or roll the dough out between 2 sheets of parchment paper.

Tip: Crush candy canes by placing them in a resealable bag and beat them with a rolling pin against a hard surface.


Yield: about 1 dozen cookies

My thoughts:

I know I am in the minority here but I really don't like Trader Joe's. I've just never had a positive experience there so I stopped going. That said, this time of year, I am almost tempted to go back to try the Peppermint JoJo's everyone is raving about. Almost tempted. Luckily I know how to bake and can make a cookie that is much better than any packaged cookie could hope to be. I made a simple chocolate wafer that wasn't too sweet and a sweet, creamy, no shortening allowed minty filling with crushed candy canes folded in. The perfect holiday treat!

Note: If you live in a very warm climate (indoor temperature over 85) and do not plan to eat the cookies the same day you make them, you may need refrigerate them overnight. Otherwise, store in an air tight container at room temperature.

Blueberry Mint Cupcakes

Ingredients:
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup blueberries
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, at room temperature
3 sprigs peppermint leaves, lightly crushed
blueberry vanilla bean frosting

Directions:
Allow the mint to seep in the milk for at least 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350. Line or grease and flour 6 wells in a cupcake pan. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Add flour, baking powder and salt to the butter mixture. Mash the blueberries in a small bowl with a potato masher until pretty well squished. Strain the milk into to the bowl and mix it with the blueberries. Add the mixture the rest of the batter and mix until well combined and fluffy looking. Fill each well 2/3 of the way full. Bake 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted the center of a cupcake comes out clean or with just one or two dry crumbs. Cool briefly in the pan, then remove cupcakes to wire racks to cool completely before icing with blueberry vanilla bean frosting.

My thoughts:

I don't know if I have had blueberries and mint together before but they grow side by side in my yard so I thought I'd give it a shot. It turns out it is a pretty tasty combination. The mint isn't overpowering, it just adds a cooling note to the sweet fruity cupcakes. They are light and fresh tasting, perfect for a summer cupcake.

Peppermint Patty Brownies

Ingredients:
9 Peppermint Patty miniatures (.6 oz each)
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Spray with baking spray or grease and flour one 9 inch baking pan. In a saucepan, melt the butter, cocoa and chocolate together over low heat*. Stir occasionally, and when the chocolate is nearly melted, remove from heat. Whisk until smooth. Set aside. In a small bowl, stir together flour, salt, baking powder. In a separate bowl, beat together the brown sugar, sugar, eggs and vanilla until frothy. Slowly stream the chocolate mixture into the eggs and mix to combine. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients and mix until the batter is thick and glossy. Pour half into prepared pan. Top with peppermint patties, the top with remaining batter. Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before slicing and serving.



My thoughts:
I am sure I am not the only one with some leftover candy from a pre-Halloween candy buying blitz. Two years ago I tried Dorie Greenspan's Brrrr-ownies recipe which called for chopped York Peppermint Patties. They were okay but I've had in the back of my mind ever since that I could probably make a version that I would enjoy more. I had a bunch of miniature patties left so I thought I'd finally give it a shot. Since I didn't have her recipe anymore and I didn't like it anyway, I started completely from scratch. I ended up with a slightly peppermintier, very chocolately, very decadent brownie. I love how the peppermint patty adds a bit of chew to the brownie.

Pork Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

1 lb thick cut pork chops
2 tablespoons canola oil
6 rice paper wrappers*
1/2 pound rice stick noodles
1 cucumber, in thin strips
2 carrots, in long strips
1 head red or green leaf lettuce
fresh mint

pork marinade:

2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons rice wine
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon black sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced


dipping sauce:

1 quarter cup roasted peanuts, ground
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon grated garlic



Directions:
First, mix marinade ingredients in a small bowl and marinate pork in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Heat the oil in a skillet Add pork and cook until pork is cooked and sauce has thickened, covering if needed. Cut into thin strips. Then, boil rice stick noodles for 5 minutes and blanch in cold water. Cut noodles into bite-sized pieces.

Whisk together all ingredients for the dipping sauce, set aside.

Fill a wide bowl or pot with warm water. Each rice paper wrapper must be soaked individually. For each roll, soak a wrapper until pliable and soft. Remove the wrapper and spread out on a clean surface. Add a small portion of the noodles towards the middle of the wrapper. Add a portion of the lettuce, a portion of the meat, and mint. Fold the rice paper from both sides in towards the middle, then lift the end closest to you and roll away from you, grabbing all of the filling, and roll until the spring roll is closed. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve at room temperature.

*Sometimes labeled spring roll wrappers. Not to be confused with refrigerated egg roll wrappers, they are round, brittle, translucent and sold directly off the shelf.



Yield: 6 rolls

My thoughts:

Summer rolls (g?i cu?n) are salads convinently served in roll form. They are a bit of work but it is worth it, they are quite filling and we often have them as a meal unto themselves. They can also keep for a few hours in the refrigerator if you cover them with a damp towel so they can be made ahead. For this version I kept the filling simple and made a yummy dipping sauce which takes them to the next level of deliciousness and cut down on the prep time.

Thai Cooler

Ingredients:

for the syrup:
1 1/2 inch knob galangal cut into small chunks
1 handful fresh mint
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
zest of one lime

to serve:
club soda
limes


Directions:
Place the sugar, galangal, mint, water and zest in a heavy sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Continue to boil until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture thickens to a light syrup. Keep an eye on it as it can quickly go from "syrup" to "sticky candy" in just a few minutes. Strain into a heat safe container. Discard solids. Allow to cool. Spoon 2 tablespoons of syrup into each glass. Top with the juice of one lime and stir to combine. Top with club soda. Repeat for each glass.




Note: Any leftover syrup should be poured into a jar and refrigerated for future use. It can keep up to 2 weeks.



Yield: 6-8 drinks.

My thoughts:

It has been a busy weekend! So busy I haven't done much cooking or eating. I did make time to create this refreshing drink and it was well worth the little bit of extra effort. It is a wonderful treat on a hot day. If you cannot find galangal root, you can subsitute fresh ginger. Galangal root also a rhizome and has a flavor similar to ginger. However, galangal has a more complex flavor which containes some citrus notes. If you wanted to be naughty, I think this would be great spiked with some white rum as a sort of Thai mojito.

Pomegranate-Mint Glazed Pork Chops

Ingredients:
for the marinade:
1/4 cup pomegranate infused balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large springs worth of mint
2 inch knob ginger, grated
salt
pepper


4 thick cut (about 1 to 1 1/2 inch) pork chops


Directions:
Mix together the marinade in a small bowl. Pour over the pork chops and marinate at least 2 hours. Prepare your grill for grilling. Cook them on high or the hottest part of your grill for 3-4 minutes on each side or until each side is well browned. Then either turn your grill to a lower temperature or move to a cooler part of the grill. If your grill has a vented cover, cover and cook for another 3 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160. Serve hot!

My thoughts:

For this recipe, it is important to use thick cut pork chops, they thick enough to hold in the juices and stay moist. Thinner chops cook more quickly but they also have a tendency to dry out and get tough. The sugar content of the pomegranate molasses helps the outside of the pork caramelize and take on a glossy sheen without burning or over cooking the meat. These are some of the juiciest and most flavorful chops I have ever had!


No grill? Bake or saute these as you would any pork chop or use a grill pan.

Shown in the background: grilled rapini and mushrooms.

Mint Julep Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup bourbon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, at room temperature
3 tablespoons minced fresh mint


derby frosting



Directions:
Allow the mint to seep in the milk for at least 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350. Line or grease and flour 6 wells in a cupcake pan. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg, mix thoroughly. Add flour, baking powder and salt to the butter mixture. Strain the milk into the bowl and add the bourbon to the rest of the batter and beat until well combined. Fill each well 2/3 of the way full. Bake 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted the center of a cupcake comes out clean or with just one or two dry crumbs. Cool briefly in the pan, then remove cupcakes to wire racks to cool completely before icing with derby frosting.

My thoughts:

While Baltimore is the host of one of the races in the Triple Crown, the race at Pimlico isn't linked in any way to interesting foods, drinks or genteel behavior. So I had to co-opt the Kentucky Derby where the signature drink is the mint julep and the ladies wear white dresses and giant hats in direct contrast to Baltimore's Preakness, which is more of a frat house-esque beer fest. I digress, the mint julep is a simple cocktail consisting of just mint, sugar and bourbon which lends itself perfectly to cupcake making. I decided on a cream cheese based frosting so it wasn't a total sugar fest but it is a sweet, minty and certainly very boozy cupcake.

Derby Frosting

Ingredients:
4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon bourbon
3 drops peppermint extract
food coloring, optional

Directions:
In a large bowl, beat together all ingredients until well blended. Frost on cooled cupcakes or cake.

My thoughts:

Perfect on Mint Julep Cupcakes.

Peppermint Bark Fudge

Ingredients:
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
12 oz high quality semisweet chocolate chips*
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup peppermint pieces (about 4 candy canes)**


Directions:In shallow, heavy pot, heat the butter and chips over low heat until melted. Stir to occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in the condensed milk and candy canes until the mixture is smooth and uniform. Pour into a buttered 8x8 inch baking dish and allow to cool 15 minutes. Then refrigerate the fudge for 2 hours or up to overnight. Unmold (if it sticks, run the point of a knife along all four sides and slide a thin spatula underneath to remove) and cut into 1 inch squares. Store at room temperature in an air tight container.

Yield: roughly 40 squares

*Since chocolate is the focus here, using good chips is essential. I used Guittard which melts well and seems to have less additives to hold the "chip" shape than other brands.
**I hit the candy canes with something heavy while they are still in the wrapper to crush them without creating a sticky mess or having to use a separate plastic bag.

Note: I do recommend storing anything made with peppermint in a separate container from anything else because over time, the mint flavor will permeate other foods. When giving candy or cookies as gifts, I always pack anything with peppermint candy, chips or extract in a separate tightly sealed bag or container.

My thoughts

I created this recipe as sort of an homage to peppermint bark. Mostly creamy dark chocolate, the fudge is studded with bits of candy cane. Even people who are not too fond of peppermint like this fudge, the peppermint flavor isn't overwhelming and the candy bits add an interesting texture contrast. If you are a candy cane fanatic, you might want to increase the amount of candy used, but I wouldn't add more than 1 or 2 additional canes or the fudge gets too chunky and chewy.

There are many different ways to make fudge and this is one of the easiest. I used to make fudge the more involved way with sugar, hand chopped chocolate, corn syrup and heavy cream but years ago I did a taste test and it turned out that people liked the flavor and texture of chocolate fudge made with condensed milk just as much or more than the more time consuming fudge. I do use different methods when I make other flavors of fudge but for this one, this recipe is just right.

York Peppermint Patty Brownie Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
8 oz Hershey's Premier Baking Pieces Mini York Peppermint Patties*

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a medium sized bowl combine flour, cocoa salt, and baking powder. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and combine thoroughly. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the sweetened butter and mix until a very thick dough forms. Use a spoon to fold in the peppermint and distributing them evenly. Form cookies by dropping 1 teaspoon of dough on the sheet two inches apart. Flatten slightly then bake until light brown, about 12 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Yield: about 2 dozen cookies



*These are not simply mint chips, or the miniatures they sell individually wrapped in a bag, they are a little smaller than a dime and are made especially for baking. They have a dark chocolate shell and mint cream inside. If you can't find them, I would think the best substitution would be finely chopped York Peppermint Patties. It wouldn't be a perfect substitute but I think it would come the closest.

My thoughts:

My mom bought me a bag of these mini York Peppermint Patties for baking. Not only are they super cute, they are easy to work with, you can just treat them like you would a chocolate chip. The cocoa in the cookie itself helps keep the mint from being too overwhelming, but don't worry, they are full of mint in every bite.They are also just slightly chewy for that perfect brownie-cookie hybrid effect.




As a side note: I baked some of these cookies in my new Infrawave Oven. It has a cookie setting (!) and a handy feature that converts the time that a recipe calls for baking in a traditional oven (like above) to what is needed in the faster cooking Infrawave. I like it because it frees up my oven for larger items when I am doing a lot of cooking/baking and (unlike a microwave) it actually bakes, browns and crisps things.

I also plan on submitting this recipe to Food Blogga's cookie event. There are already so many wonderful cookies up!

Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons dutch processed cocoa
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder*
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, at room temperature


peppermint cream cheese frosting
red sugar for sprinkling


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line or grease and flour 6 wells in a cupcake pan. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla, mix thoroughly. Meanwhile, mix together the cocoa powder, espresso powder and milk in a small bowl or measuring cup and set aside. Add flour, baking powder and salt to the butter mixture. Add the milk mixture to the rest of the batter and beat until well combined. Fill each well 2/3 of the way full. Bake 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted the center of a cupcake comes out clean or with just one or two dry crumbs. Cool briefly in the pan, then remove cupcakes to wire racks to cool completely before icing with peppermint cream cheese frosting. Ice, then sprinkle.

*I bought this at our local Italian grocery but I have seen it in most regular grocery stores in the coffee isle.



Yield: 6 cupcakes

My thoughts:

It's that time of the year again- everyone is rhapsodizing about peppermint mochas from Starbucks. I admit, I am not a coffee drinker by any stretch of the imagination, but even I make an annual trip to Starbucks to get one. This year I thought it would be fun to combine those flavors into a new portable form: cupcakes. This recipe makes 6 cupcakes, which is a perfect number for a snack with friends, but can be easily multiplied to make more. The cupcake strikes a perfect balance of chocolate and coffee and the icing just elevates it to a whole new level.

Creamy Butter Bean Mash

Ingredients:
1 lb fresh butter beans*
1/8 cup parcel**
3 sprigs mint, leaves only

2 tablespoons yogurt (low fat is okay)

2 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1/2 large lemon

Directions:
In a food processor or blender, pulse all ingredients until a pate like paste forms. Add more yogurt or oil as needed. Serve on crackers, as a dip with raw veggies or spread on bread.


*Or subsitiute high quality canned butter beans, and drain them.
**Sometimes called "leaf celery", it is sort of a cross between parsely and celery. You can subsitute flat leaf parsley and a pinch of celery seed.

My thoughts:

Fresh beans are back at our local farmer's market and I couldn't resist picking up a pound of butter beans. Techincally Fordhook lima beans, they are large, pale and buttery unlike their close cousin and my nemesis, the baby lima bean, which is small, green and sort tastes like dirt. For the spread, I kept it simple using parcel from the neighbor's garden, mint from our garden, and a zestless lemon leftover from making limoncello to really highlight the delicate flavor of the beans.

Pimm's Cup Jelly

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Pimm's
1/4 cup gin
1/4 cup cold water OR club soda

1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 oz plain gelatin


mint leaves
thinly sliced cucumber*
thinly sliced lemon slices*
any other Pimm's Cup favorite: orange, lime, strawberries

Directions:
In a small pot, bring the lemon juice, sugar and 1/2 cup of water to a boil. Meanwhile sprinkle the gelatin into the bottom of a medium sized bowl. Pour the boiling mixture on top. Allow to cool slightly, when pour the gin, Pimm's, and the 1/4 cup water or club soda. Stir gently. Pour into wide mouth glasses. Allow to cool about 1/2 hr then refrigerate about 2 hours or set but still "loose" . Stick 1 lemon slice and 1-2 cucumber slices in each cup, suspending them in the mixture. Top with mint leaves. Return to the refrigerator and refrigerate an additional 2 hours or until set. Serve with a spoon.

*You want to use the smallest lemon and skinniest cucumber (try an English cucumber) you can find.


Yield: about 16 oz

My thoughts:

Since trying Pimm's Cup a couple of weeks ago, I've become a devotee. Part of the appeal is visual-the pretty colored liquid with the lemon, cucumber and mint floating within. I wanted to capture this look and the unique flavor of Pimm's in different medium. What better way than suspended in gelatin? Sort of like a more adult, elegant Jell-O shot, these are perfect for a light dessert.

Why is this recipe called Pimm's Cup Jelly when it is not jelly or even jelly candy? "Jelly" is a common British term for what Americans generically call "Jell-O" or gelatin. Since this is a reinterpretation of the quintessentially British Pimm's Cup, it seemed fitting to use their term.

Mint Gelato

Ingredients:
3/4 cup mint leaves, chopped
4 cups whole milk
6 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar

Directions:
One the day before you want to eat the gelato, allow the mint leaves to seep in the milk overnight in the refrigerator.

The next day: Pour the milk through a sieve into a saucepan. Scald the milk, then remove from heat. Meanwhile, beat the yolks and sugar together until fluffy. Whisk in a few tablespoons of the scalded milk, then add the egg/milk mixture into the remaining scalded milk. Return to heat on low, stirring occasionally and cook until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Strain and refrigerate until cool. Add to a ice cream maker and churn until frozen and creamy. Remove to a freezer safe container and freeze until hard, about 1-2 hours. Allow to soften slightly before serving.

Yield: about 1 quart

My thoughts:

When we planted mint a few weeks ago I had it in the back of my mind that it might be fun to make some homemade mint ice cream. When it came down to it though, I decided to go the slightly lighter route and make gelato. Gelato is just as tasty but because it is made with whole milk and not heavy cream, has about a 1/3 of the fat. The slightly more subtle texture of gelato worked well with the fresh mint too, it ending up tasting very light and fresh rather than super rich, which really complimented the delicate flavor of the fresh mint. It was also exciting to use mint from the garden-it is the first "harvest" of the year!

Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
food coloring, optional

Directions:
In a large bowl, beat together all ingredients until well blended. Frost on cooled cupcakes or cake.

Peppermint Truffles

Ingredients:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
4 oz cream cheese*, slightly softened
5 drops peppermint extract**

confectioners' sugar
candy canes or starlight mints, crushed


Directions:
In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese, peppermint extract and sugar. Beat until well combined. Using your fingers, roll the chocolate/cream cheese mixture to the size of a large marble or superball. Sprinkle about 1/3 cup of confectioner's sugar and the crushed mints on a plate and gently roll the candy to coat. Place on a clean plate and refrigerate about 1 hour before serving.

*The kind you get in a brick, not "spreadable" or "whipped"
**Read the label careful when you go to buy peppermint extract. Extract labeled simply "mint" is often spearmint.

My thoughts:

I had a bit of an ulterior motive in making these easy truffles: I wanted to see how peppermint and cream cheese taste together. I am planning on making some peppermint icing in the near future and want to make an informed decision. The verdict: peppermint and cream cheese go together remarkably well. The sharpness of both keep these truffles from being overly sweet. I am still uncertain about my icing, but these are a delight!

Cocoa Dusted Marshmallows

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unflavored powdered gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla

confectioners' sugar for dredging
unsweetened cocoa for dredging

Directions:

In a large bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Allow to seep for 10 minutes. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a vigorous boil and boil for 1 minute. Pour boiling syrup into gelatin and mix at high speed for 1 minute. Add the salt and beat for 11 minutes. Add vanilla and beat for 1 minute. Oil your hands and a spatula and scrape into a 9 x 13 inch pan sprayed with oil and spread evenly. After pouring marshmallow mixture into the pan, smooth it with the back of your oiled spatula. Allow to rest 3 hours. Invert the pan into plate full of cocoa and confectioners� sugar (in equal portions) and dredge the marshmallow through. Remove and cut into pieces with kitchen sheers, a knife or use a small cookie cutter to cut them into shapes. Dredge each piece of marshmallow in confectioners' sugar/cocoa so all four sides are coated in the sugar/cocoa mixture*. Store in an air tight container.

*you could also toss the cut marshmallows in a Ziploc bag full of cocoa and confectioners' sugar to coat.

My thoughts:

There seems to have been a spate of marshmallow making around the world. Seeing these pretty creations inspired me to revisit the easy recipe (no egg whites! no candy thermometers!) for peppermint marshmallows I created last year. I made a few modifications and made a batch of vanilla marshmallows dredged in cocoa and sugar. They have a smooth vanilla flavor and a hint of chocolate in each bite. I still think making marshmallows is as close to magic as you can get in the kitchen: one minute you have a bowl of molten sugar then suddenly it is fluffy marshmallow. Amazing!