Cinnamon Hearts Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows

I've said it in the past and I'll say it again . . .I am not a fan of Valentine's Day. It's just not my thing.

However, this Hallmark occasion does give me an excuse to bake cute little treats and decorate them. And so, may I present you with...... Cinnamon Heart Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows!

I have been on a home-made marshmallow kick lately. I made Eggnog Marshmallows right after Christmas. They were amazing, and a great way to use up leftover eggnog. Then I had some limes and WAY too much coconut; which I turned into Lime Pie Toasted Coconut Marshmallows. They were super delicious, and went very quickly when I brought them into work on a slow Sunday shift.

I was going through my baking supplies cupboard (yes, I have a cupboard just for baking supplies), and I came across a small bag of leftover red cinnamon hearts. They were from last year, so I didn't really think they would be that great to eat. Then again, they are sugar, flavouring and food colour so I guess they can't really spoil or go bad. Anyhow, I started thinking about what I could make with old, hard, hot cinnamon flavoured candy while holding a couple in my hand.

Then I had a small brainstorm. What if I could dissolve them in water, and then use the flavoured red water as the liquid in a batch of marshmallows ??? Genius!

The recipe was part experiment, part science. So I guess technically it was a science experiment. Dissolve a solid in a liquid, then apply heat and add that hot liquid to more liquid infused with a gelling agent, then apply friction and incorporate air to turn it into a foam. Easy, right?

Making marshmallows at home is not terribly tricky, but it does require attention and timing. First, your liquid to gelatin ratios have to be correct. Too much gelatin and the marshmallows turn gummy and tough; too little and they don't firm up and you have a sort of marshmallow fluff. Second, you really need to whip that hot liquid with a stand mixer. Because it needs to spin for a good ten minutes. Give it the full ten minutes to ensure it triples in volume. And finally, be sure you have a couple of greased rubber spatulas and an off-set spatula close by. Warm marshmallow goo will stick to anything and everything if you don't apply a thin coat of either cooking spray or butter/margarine. I save the paper wrappers that blocks of butter or margarine come in and use those to grease pans, parchment paper and my utensils. I have bag of them in my fridge and just pull out a couple and have them on the counter by my work area to use as needed.

Oh, and you need a candy thermometer. Seriously, you do. The mixture can very quickly go from 235 to 240 to 250 if you're not watching closely . . and then you recipe is hooped. You want to reach 238 to 240 degree F. No higher.

Okay, on to the recipe:

Cinnamon Hearts Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows

Ingredients:

20-30 red cinnamon hearts
1/2 cup water
3 envelopes gelatin powder (I use Knox brand)
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups granulated white sugar
3 tbsp white corn syrup

8 oz good quality melting chocolate (dark, milk or white)
pink, red and white sprinkles or decorative trimmings (optional)

Place cinnamon hearts and 1/2 cup water in a small bowl. Give it a stir. The water should start to turn colour. Let this sit for about 30 minutes, stirring every so often. You want to dissolve the hearts into the water. Strain out and discard any lumps that don't dissolve.

Place 1/2 warm water into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Sprinkle the gelatin on top. Let this sit for about 30 minutes so the gelatin can bloom.

Lightly grease a 9x9 inch baking pan on the bottom and sides (here is where the wrappers from the butter or margarine come in handy) Cut two pieces of parchment paper 9 inches wide by 11 inches long. Fit these into the pan so that you basically have an overlapping cross with the long ends extending up and over all four sides of the pan. Press the parchment into the greased sides to hold it in place. Lightly grease the parchment.

Place the sugar, dissolved hearts liquid and the corn syrup in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until sugar dissolves. Clip that candy thermometer to side of the pan. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook without stirring until candy thermometer reads 240 degrees F. If needed, use a pastry brush dipped in water to brush down the sides of the pan to avoid crystallization.

Slowly pour the scalding hot syrup mixture into the bloomed gelatin mixture and whisk on low until combined. Increase speed to high and beat until thick and fluffy and mixture triples in volume. This will take about ten minutes, so be sure to give it the full amount of time. The outside of the bowl should be no longer hot and comfortable to touch.

Now you need to work quickly. Using a lightly buttered rubber spatula, scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. You are not going to be able to get absolutely everything out of the mixer bowl; it's just so sticky and it cools off too quickly once the main mass of marshmallow goo is removed. Using a buttered offset spatula, try and smooth out the top surface of the mixture, pressing it into the corners. You want to get it as even as possible to have uniform marshmallows, but trust me.....getting it completely even while not getting it to stick to everything else is nearly impossible. Set the pan aside and let it cool to room temperature; about 8 hours (or overnight).

In a heat-proof bowl, melt the chocolate. Lift the block of marshmallow out of the pan using the parchment paper. Using a serrated knife, slice the block into strips about one inch wide and then cut those into one inch pieces. You should end up with a kind of one inch rectangle; about the size of a regular store-bought marshmallow. I usually end up with 80-ish pieces (9 inches by 9 inches in the pan)

Dip each piece into the melted chocolate about half way. Gently stand each piece up on the non-dipped end on a baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper. If you dip the "uneven / top side", then the bottom or flatter end will stand up better. If it doesn't, just trim it with a sharp knife. Before the chocolate sets, sprinkle with decorating trimmings. I dip a few, then sprinkle; dip a few more, then sprinkle those. Carefully move the baking sheet into the refrigerator for 15 minutes to allow the chocolate to set. Here you can see my small army of finished marshmallows. So cute !

Marshmallows will keep in an airtight container for up to five days. These would be so sweet (pun intended) done up in little packages with pretty ribbon for Valentine's gifts for a child's classmates, co-workers or anyone that would appreciate home-made treats.

A Year of Pretty - December 03, 2014

Today would be a great day to just cuddle up, stay inside, read a book and drink hot cocoa.

Full article can be found on BHG.com - 8 Rules for Smart Splurges

Paris - Day Three

Day Three in Paris!

The day started with finding more mosquito bites. Perfect.

I got a late start to my day. Part because I was waiting for the water to heat up in the hot water tank. Partly because I was searching online for another place to stay. I also had to go to the pharmacy this morning to get antihistamine tablets; hopefully the swelling from the bites will go down soon. I look a mess.

Decided to do a little shopping today. Here's the tough thing about retail therapy while on vacation: You can only take back so many pairs of shoes or handbags, and you have to be careful about weight restrictions. Unless you are filthy rich. If not, here's the solution around that. Actually, a couple solutions:

You can pack a small bag, and then buy all new clothes and shoes in your destination city; as well as a new suitcase. This works especially great in cities such as London or Paris. Pack only your favourite jeans and a couple tank tops and maybe one light sweater. I go a little further and pack one black simple cocktail dress and a pair of black heels. Maybe a strand of pearls (faux for travel). That way, if a special evening out suddenly comes up, you have something to wear. Okay, try and understand that I often go to the symphony or opera when I travel, and you'll realize this little black dress/heels/pearls trick is very handy.

You can do what I'm doing this trip. I packed a large backpack because I will be travelling for over a month. In the backpack, I put a folded up sleeping bag cover. Coming home, I will put my full backpack with items I've purchased into the sleeping bag cover, then fill up the extra space with my worn clothing. This is especially good if you are bringing, oh....I don't know...WINE home in your checked luggage. Pack the wine securely in the center of the backpack, use your own clothes as cushioning around the backpack in the sleeping bag cover, and check it through FRAGILE when checking in.

Another thing I've done (and will probably end up doing this trip) is send stuff home ahead of me. Half way through my trip, I'll go to the post office and get a shipping box. Then I put any brochures from museums, sweaters I don't need, clothing or shoes I've bought but don't plan on wearing during the trip, souvenirs....all go into the box (I remember the first time I travelled to Europe I took a curling and a flat iron. Ha! Those things got shipped back home in a hurry). I then ship it to a neighbours' or my parents' house. Just be sure to ship it ground or by boat if you are overseas. Shipping air is WAY too expensive. Unless, like I said, you're made of money. In which case, ignore and carry on.

During my aimless wandering of stores, I found Fauchon. And I fell in love instantly. I am a sucker for fantastic packaging and this company has done it right. Just look at the display of chocolates, candies, coffees and teas. And this was just one display, of which there were many. It was hard to look at the displays and not want to buy one of each.

There is a real culture of "à emporter" in Paris. This means to take and go or to take away. The store has a large delicatessen, as well as bakery and champagne selection. And I'm not talking cheap bottles of bubbly. From the main floor of the shop, you go downstairs to the "cave" (pronounced 'cav' ), where an amazing selection of vintage champagne awaits, perfectly chilled and ready to take with a box of French macarons to sit along the Seine asthe sun sets and watch the boats go by. Veuve Clicquot, Dom Perignon, Ruinart, Krug....pick your poison.

All the big name jewellers are located in and around the same area in Paris; Place de Vendôme. These are some serious displays of bling. Needless to say, these beauties were not part of my shopping purchases. At least not for today. But I spent a good amount of time peeking in all the windows. Each store has at least one security guard at the door; each dressed immaculately in a dark suit with French cuffs and cuff links. At least I think they were cuff links. They could have been security microphones. Some had ear pieces in. Like the Secret Service of jewellery stores.

Doing all that window shopping had worked up an appetite, so I made my way over to Angelina for a Croque Monsieur and a glass of champagne (yes, I know....spoilt rotten this one is). Angelina is a Paris landmark. The Salon de Thé first opened in 1903. It quickly became the place to be seen. Coco Chanel and Proust have been counted among its famous customers. It has long been a meeting place for the upper crust of Paris society. Or, at least, it used to be because today they let me in without question.

In any case, you either have to arrive early or come late in the afternoon, because they are quite busy. There is usually a line up everyday; not only to sit and enjoy tea but for their shop as well. There is a selection of house blended teas and coffees, hand made candies, chocolates and biscuits. The display cases offer a beautiful selection of fresh made pastries to take with you, and they are famous not only for these sweet treats, but for their house hot chocolate L'Africain. I saw table after table ordering the pitchers of warm milk and drinking chocolate, which you mix as you like at your table. It is served with a mountain of fresh whipped cream on the side. At €8.20 for hot chocolate that you pretty much make yourself, it is more like an event than a simple cup of cocoa.

After my bubbles and sandwich, I had a little strawberry, cream, custard and flaky pastry concoction; sort of like a fruit mille feuille. I also had a pot of their house tea, Mont-Blanc. Be forewarned if you order tea. It's premium black tea leaves, candied chestnut, toffee, orange blossom and apricot; and as such, you are charged a premium price. A hefty €7.50 price. But it is really yummy tea, and I did buy a tin of it to take home, which was a better deal at €13.00.
Refreshed and revived, I walked around the city for another couple hours, along the Avenue des Champs Élysées, tried to take some pictures of the Arc de Triomphe which didn't turn out well and made my way back to my apartment (and the mosquitoes).

Tomorrow will be another busy day.