Homemade Marshmallows, Part 3: the Sweet Finale
My first foray into the art of homemade marshmallows brought me mint chocolate squares. Resembling little brownies, they were just as irresistible. Readers all shouted – S’mores – and so, I stuck a few on a fork and roasted them over a candle (electric stovetop being the deterrent here). Not bad at all. They even got that black outer layer some of us strive for over the campfire. Next up were espresso marshmallows, and boy did I have fun with those. Hence part 3, the final in the marshmallow series and by far the most irresistible!
What did I do with my espresso marshmallows? Instead of sticking them between graham crackers with a square of chocolate – I nixed the crackers and dipped them in chocolate! Have fun with it – dip some entirely, do others half and half, drizzle the chocolate on some like below – no matter what you do, it’s going to taste good!
Even then with chocolate covered espresso marshmallows, I still wasn’t quite done in the kitchen! Let’s backtrack a bit – my very favorite thing to bake are chocolate chip cookies, hands down. But by no means do I set a good example for baking by the book – I don’t stay too attached to the precise nature of chemistry and exact proportions. I love to play! And so, over the years, I have made chocolate chip cookies using several different flours, sugars, chocolate and butter, and especially endless varieties of dried fruits, nuts and even candies. A few years ago, I had purchased raspberry marshmallows at Whole Foods and got the “very Kerrin” idea to use them in a cookie. I chopped them up real small and left them to dry out during a weeklong trip to Alaska. Back from having my fill of salmon 30 ways and reindeer sausages, my sweet tooth was aching and my mini raspberry marshmallows were ready to go. I made a batch of what I ended up calling my “Wonka Bazooka Cookies” as they were a colorful explosion of sweet, something that looked as if it should be making rounds on one of Willy Wonka‘s conveyer belts! Chocolate chunks, pink raspberry marshmallow, raisins and oats. Call me crazy if you must, but oooh they were good!
Knowing all that, it may seem natural now that I chopped up my chocolate covered espresso marshmallows. They were clearly destined to be cookie material. And boy did it work! You can use your personal favorite recipe for chocolate chip cookies – we all know there are endless varieties. But in place of chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, use chocolate covered mini marshmallows – roughly chopped, more chocolate on some than others, it’s all going to melt together to be a sweet, but not cloying, chewy delight. Even though you will be chopping them up in the end, I would take the extra effort to cut mini marshmallows and coat each one in chocolate. That gives you a cookie with more chocolate, rather than if you had coated large marshmallows and chopped those up.
A few more tips to avoid a sticky mess: I kept my chocolate covered mini marshmallows in the freezer until I was ready to use them. This way they were easier to chop, and it also gave me a bit more time in the oven before they started to melt down. Secondly, when you drop your spoonfuls of batter on the baking sheet, try to make sure the marshmallows are all hidden. That way, they won’t melt and run out of the cookie on to the sheet.
More in the cookie for you to enjoy !
July 24th, 2009 at 00:19
The cookies look great and yes, they look ‘very Kerrin’. xo
July 24th, 2009 at 07:18
OK you have me convinced, diet ended
BBE
July 24th, 2009 at 08:56
If you ever find a recipe for strawberry marshmellows, I would love it. Thanks. Everything looks delish.
July 24th, 2009 at 11:38
Thanks Dorie ! Very Kerrin cookies indeed !
BBE, diet ?! What’s that ?!
Kelleyn, for strawberry marshmallows, I would recommend using Dorie’s recipe that I used for my chocolate mint marshmallows. Instead of my chocolately mixture, simply fold in strawberry puree. You’ll need a generous 1/3 cup and you might also want to beat in 1/4 teaspoon vanilla earlier on. Enjoy !!
July 24th, 2009 at 12:50
Great idea, Kerrin! I wonder, did the sugar caramelize in the oven and leave crunchy/chewy parts in the cookie? Reading about your cookies has turned this into a cookie day for me… I think I’m going to go home and make those maple snickerdoodles I was telling you about! Yum!
July 24th, 2009 at 13:23
I love chocolate covered marshmallows especially when you put them in the freezer! Do your marshmallows freeze and get hard like twists. Everytime I go to your grandparents house we always take a twist…chocolate covered marshmallow twists. Putting marshmallows in the chocolate chip cookies was such an outrageous idea but the only problem is that I am in New York and you are in Zurich and I can’t taste them!!!!!! Strawberry marshmallows sound awesome too. All are perfect for my serious sweet tooth. Your photos make it just delectable!!! Popping out of the screen screaming…..taste me!
July 24th, 2009 at 17:13
Thanks Romy ! I thought you’d enjoy seeing where our marshmallow making adventure led me ! The marshmallows didn’t get crunchy in the cookies. The sugar either melted into the cookie or stayed nice and chewy. When you pulled the cookie apart, you could see the “strings” of marshmallow – like pulling taffy. So good! And a cookie day for you now ? Cookie days are my favorite! Yum indeed!
Hi Mom! Twists are tradition in our family! Perhaps THAT’S where my sweet tooth comes from, haha! I have never been to my grandparents’ house when there was not a box of marshmallow twists in the freezer. And never a time when we all didn’t have one, even if we just had just stopped by for 5 minutes!
The marshmallows here didn’t get real hard or crack like those did. They stayed pretty soft. I may be in Zurich with my sweet creations, but you’re in NY, not far from that freezer full of marshmallow twists ! !
July 24th, 2009 at 20:54
Oh my gosh. That looks absolutely amazing! I’ve never even THOUGHT of making my own marshmallows. But you tempt me.
(BTW, Mmm…reindeer sausage. I ate it daily when I worked in Alaska.)
July 24th, 2009 at 23:36
Let’s see… mom loves chocolate covered marshmallows. And dad loves chocolate marshmallows. And our talented daughter knows how to make them. Get my drift? Come on mom, let’s make them. Stay tuned Kerrin. We’ll let you know how it worked out. Of course, if mom would prefer making any other of your chocolate treats, that’s ok too :):):) Anything but coffee.
July 25th, 2009 at 23:35
Hello Kerrin,
What a fantastic way to use leftover marshmallows (bake ‘em in cokies), although I don’t see why there would be any leftovers. So…after I read your marshmallow post, I just had to go out and find some in Toronto. Girl, I’m so happy I found a newly opened French-style patisserie here in Toronto, called Nadege, which is also the name of the owner. Now, you’ve created a monster. I love marshmallows – the real ones! I never thought I would. You have single-handedly turned me into a marshmallow monster!!
July 26th, 2009 at 00:41
Kerrin, I love your marshmallow post trio. Thank you for sharing your different flavours and ideas for ‘leftovers’. As a big fan of marshmallows myself, I am surprised I’ve not made them before. That will change. I wouldn’t even think of putting them in cookies. I would like to spare a few for some homemade Rocky Road ice-cream. YUM!
July 26th, 2009 at 01:51
I just totally hungry for these sweets things now….
July 26th, 2009 at 10:57
DragonChaser, glad I was able to tempt you with something totally delicious – and easy to make. And also bring back a food memory for you – reindeer sausages every day, eating like a local for sure. Haven’t seen any of that here in Zurich !
Dad, I knew these marshmallows weren’t for you – espresso ! But anything with chocolate always has your name on it. Have a twist for me, please !
Jen, my fellow marshmallow monster!! ha ha!! I love it! And you are so right – I didn’t use leftovers – because, well, there weren’t any! I made a new batch!! And wow, sounds like an exciting find you made in Toronto there ! Enjoy – Nadege’s treats, and making your own too!
Julia, thanks for the great comment. So glad love you love the trio. You and me, marshmallow fans and baking lovers – but no homemade marshmallows before. I have made the leap – now it’s your turn ! And homemade rocky road ice cream, YES !
Baron’s Life. . . . . me too !
July 26th, 2009 at 11:07
The cookies look ab fab!
July 27th, 2009 at 16:18
I forgot to mention one thing on the previous post — the jaggedness of their edges. Okay. So. These look like haagen daaz ice cream bars. Maybe it’s just been so long since I’ve had sugar, I’m hallucinating. No, I’m certain, haagen daaz ice cream bars. Your photography is beautiful — love the effect of the brown baking paper.
July 27th, 2009 at 18:24
You are right, Kerrin. This part 3 is probably the best. How can I resist chocolate mashmellow cookie? If only, I can bake it myself. Fancy yourself opening up internet bakery shop?
July 28th, 2009 at 18:47
I told my family about your ventures in making marshmallows, and they looked pretty skeptical until I told them about adding them into cookies – THAT got their attention! Thanks for explaining the whole process, too!
July 29th, 2009 at 23:00
Ooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhh…. YUM! They say cookies travel well. Thankfully. And I have a big mailbox so don’t be afraid to be generous.
July 30th, 2009 at 10:36
Mademoiselle Le K, thank you ! The cookies tasted ab fab too !
Solo Road Trip, hmmm, ice cream bars…. I can see that. Speaking of ice cream, those cookies were fantastic with some !
Amy, part 3 is definitely my favorite ! An internet baking shop, hmmmmm…. !!
jkiel, hope the family is up for the marshmallow cookie baking adventure – you’ll all be happy in the end I am sure !
Uncle Beefy, I bet cookies do travel well. Now only if I could stop eating them and have a few left to send .. . Easier said than done though !
August 2nd, 2009 at 16:40
Miam :d
Cookies de Kerrin goutés et approuvés;)
August 13th, 2009 at 17:03
Doesn´t stop surprise me the work that you provide us on this site. I´m chocolate lover and I love the Mexican legend about the origin of this delicious and sweet foods of kings.