Scratch Made Marshmallow

I decided to finally give these a try!!  What a cool recipe.  I watched an episode years ago when Ina Garten made these for a hot chocolate gift she was making for friends.  I bought gelatin but never attempted the recipe.  Now, possibly 4-5 years later that I bought gelatin again and finally decided to make marshmallow in order to have a little fun using it.  I used Alton Brown's recipe only because making marshmallow seemed more like a chemistry experiment and he is all about the science.  It's a precise recipe as I looked up Ina and she uses the same ratios as Alton. 

NOTE:  This recipe is not for kids!! 

There are a few steps you should do in advance to minimize running around by being set up in advance.  Since this is candy making being a thermometer is involved, there isn't time later.  

First - Bloom the Gelatin.  To the bowl of your mixer, add 1/2 Cup Ice Cold Water.  Add 3 Packs fo Gelatin (3/4 oz).   Let that sit.  Have your wire whip ready.

Second - Prep a 9" x 13" pan.  Spray the bottom and sides lightly with spray Canola Oil.  Sift 1/4 C. Confections Sugar mixed with 1/4 C. Corn Starch.   Generously, add most of it to the bottom of the dish.  Cover with foil and shake excess to coat the sides.  If you need, more, repeat.  

This is a video after about 8-9 minutes.

To a small saucepan, add, 1 1/2 C. Sugar, 1 C. Corn Syrup, 1/2 C. Water and 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt.  Place over medium high heat, COVER, and cook for 3-4 minutes.  The sugar should be (mostly) dissolved.  Add a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and cook until it reaches 240.  I stirred a few times.  

With the mixer on low, and while it's running, slowly add the sugar mixture into the gelatin, pouring only down the side of the bowl.  Continue until it's all combined.  Turn the mixer to high and mix for 13 minutes.  Add 1 tsp of good Vanilla and mix for another minute but no more than 2.  

This is a video after vanilla was added.

Pour the sticky mixture straight into the prepared dish.  Dust the top with the Sugar/Corn Starch Mixture and let cool anywhere from 4 hours to overnight.    Turn out into parchment paper or cutting board for cutting.  

Have fun with what you do with it!  

Fresh Pumpkin Cupcakes

I love baking with fresh pumpkin.  Though I've only done it once, I prefer it to canned pumpkin.  The color is just gorgeous.  After buying souped-up Candy Apples at the NC State Fair, I decided to make cupcakes this weekend and decorate them in a variety of ways.  






Yesterday, I removed seeds and peeled the skin away from the pumpkin using a sharp knife

and then cut the flesh into large chunks.  I steamed the Pumpkin for about 10-15 minutes til tender and then once cooled, pressed the chucks through my ricer.  If you don't own a ricer, you can always mash.  This made enough for 24 Cupcakes, I froze 2 cups for a Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie, and still have enough to make cookies or pancakes.  A medium Pumpkin netted about 5 Cups for Pumpkin and cost $3 at a farmers stall.

Preheat oven to 375. 

In a mixing bowl, add 2 Sticks Butter (Room Temperature).  Add 1 1/2 Cups Fresh Pumpkin, 1 tsp Vanilla, and 1 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar.  Mix until smooth.  

To a bowl add 2 3/4 Cups Flour (NOTE: this will vary depending on how wet the batter is and how humid it is), 1 Tbl Baking Powder, 3/4 tsp Salt and 2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice.   Stir with a wire whip to combine.  Measure out 3/4 Cup Milk.  Add flour and milk to pumpkin mixture, alternating, flour and milk, beginning and ending with the flour.  

In a separate bowl, beat 3 Eggs until combined, add 1 1/2 Cups Sugar and mix on high until light ribbons and fold into batter.   

Ready muffin tins with foil liners.  Using a scoop, fill tin 2/3 full.  Place in hot oven and immediately reduce oven to 350.  Bake for 20-22 minutes.

Let cool before icing.

For Meringue Icing.  Set up double boiler using a bowl that will fit into a pot of simmering water.  To the bowl add, 3 Egg Whites, 1/2 Cup Cold Water, 1 tsp Cream of Tartar, and  1 TBL Sugar.  Place bowl into the pot and using a hand mixer, beat on high for about 15 minutes til whites "cook" by warming and hold their peak when you remove the beaters.  Once firm peaks are formed, remove bowl from the pot and place in an ice bath to chill.  Beat every few minutes until cool.  

Fill a pastry bag fitted with the desired tip and frost the cooled cupcakes.   Top as desired.  I used a variety of small candy as well as toffee peices and sprinkles.  

Mom's Butter Crunch

As far back as I can remember we gave our elementary school teachers (grades K-6) gifts at Christmastime. Since there were so many of them in any given year, we always helped in some way to get the gift together.  The youngest kids either measured chocolate or ground the nuts.  We didn't have food processors so we had to grind our nuts in a gadget that was a jar fitted with a grinder.  The top was loaded and the nuts ground as you turned a crank.  It took hours but the nuts were a wonderful consistent size perfect for topping butter crunch.  We used to watch tv and grind the nuts.  I remember my hand used to get tired from turning the crank.
There are many variations of butter crunch today.  I favor the recipe I grew up with.  It's tender and has just the right ratio of candy to chocolate to nuts.  If you are going to make this, I highly recommend you purchase a good candy thermometer.  Interestingly, I have had trouble making it everywhere I have lived since leaving NY.  Relative humidity is likely the biggest culprit, but for some reason, this year, it turned out perfectly!   This recipe dates back to at least the 1960's.
Butter a sheet pan lightly and set it on a trivet or hot pad of some sort.  Add ice water to a measuring cup for testing and have it near by.

In a non-reactive saucepan with a thick bottom (such as All-Chad) add 1 Stick of Butter, 1 Cup Sugar, 1/4 Cup Water and 1/2 tsp Salt.  Attach the candy thermometer to the pan using the clip.  Heat mixture over medium heat, bubbling, until it reaches 290 degrees F (Soft Crack).  You need to stir this just about the entire time.  Use a wooden spoon instead of a metal spoon because it won't transfer heat to your hand.  As it nears 280 begin testing small amounts by dripping the candy into the water.  Once it cools, about 15 seconds, eat the drops testing it until it is tender and crunchy. The last 10 degrees go quickly so continue to do this until it is ready.  The toffee should be a golden brown color.  Remove the candy thermometer from the pan and carefully pour out onto the sheet pan and tilt the pan every which way to get a shape that is a consistent thickness.

Caution, candy making is dangerous as it is VERY HOT.  Warn your family not to touch the sheet pan once you've poured the candy.  Let cool entirely.  Heat 12 oz Semi Sweet Chocolate (such as Nestle's Semi Sweet Chips) in a saucepan over very low heat just until melted.  Spread 1/2 of it onto the toffee.  Top with 1/2 Cup Ground Walnuts and push slightly into the chocolate.  Once cool, turn over the toffee using an off set spatula and repeat using the remaining chocolate and another 1/2 Cup Ground Walnuts.  Once cooled completely, break the toffee by hand.  Store in an airtight container.  Thanks Mom!