By 8 am yesterday morning, my kitchen already looked like this. Because I waited until Christmas Eve eve to do all of my holiday baking, I had a marathon session in the kitchen yesterday. I absolutely love spending the entire day baking, especially when it involves whipping up treats to share with others. I made quite a few new recipes, but rather than post about each of them over the next week (I figure you’re probably sugared out by now), I decided to share some of photos I took over the course of the day (thanks iphone!) and point you in the direction of the recipe in case you see anything you want to try.
The day started with a batch of biscotti. These were packed with mini chocolate chips, toasted almonds and coconut, and even though I don’t like nuts, I nibbled on more than my fair share of the ends/scrap pieces. Highly recommend! (You can see the biscotti in the kitchen shot above.)
Continuing my obsession with gingerbread this holiday season – gingerbread granola! Loved this, and it’s relatively healthy with just a few tablespoons of canola oil and the only sugar coming from the molasses.
I knew I wanted to make fudge this year but wasn’t sure what kind. After seeing Dara’s chocolate nutella fudge on Maria’s site recently, it quickly became the one. This is beyond easy to make – no candy thermometer required – and Shane loved it (and he’s not even a Nutella fan). Dara sprinkled hers with sea salt, and though I love the salty/sweet combo, I decided to play it safe and skip the salt since I was gifting the fudge.
Soft and Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies. A tried and true favorite here. They sort of remind me of a Christmas-y version of chocolate crinkle cookies, and that’s a very good thing.
My very first fruitcake. Wouldn’t necessarily be my first choice when it comes to holiday baking, but it was pretty much the only thing my step-father told me he wanted for Christmas so I was happy to oblige. That dried fruit was soaked in a ton of dark rum before being baked into the cake. More rum was brushed over the loaf when it emerged from the oven. I didn’t tase it since it was a gift, but I’ll report back. Something tells me it’ll be boozy 🙂
A cheesecake project that’s still in the works (that’s homemade peppermint bark on top of the batter). If it turns out, I’ll share it with you on Monday!
I spent my Friday night in front of the tv watching the Bruins (Marchand hat trick – woo!) and dipping homemade peppermint marshmallows in chocolate.
I even broke out the real camera to take a few good pictures for you 🙂 Homemade marshmallows have become one of my go-to holiday gifts. They’re not a ton of work, and they keep for weeks so if you want to get ahead, they’re perfect. Plus, who wouldn’t love to stick one of these in a big mug of hot chocolate this winter?
Wishing you all a very happy holiday season! 🙂
Homemade Peppermint Marshmallows
adapted from Alton Brown (inspired by My Kitchen Addiction)
3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 cup ice cold water, divided
12 ounces (1 1/2 cups) sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
nonstick cooking spray
12 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable or canola oil
crushed candy canes
Add 1/2 cup of the water to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and set aside.
Add the remaining 1/2 cup water, the sugar, corn syrup and salt to a medium saucepan. Cover and set over medium high heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes (no need to stir), then uncover and continue cooking (without stirring) until the mixture reaches 240 F on a candy thermometer.
Remove the pan from the heat. Turn the mixer on low, and slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once it’s all added, increase the mixer to medium high and beat until the mixture is thick and the outside of the bowl is just lukewarm, about 8-12 minutes. Add the extracts during the last minute of beating.
Meanwhile, combine the confectioners’ sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Spray a 13×9 metal pan with nonstick cooking spray then coat the bottom and sides with the cornstarch mixture. Reserve the leftover cornstarch mixture for dusting the marshmallows later.
When the marshmallow mixture has finished beating, pour it into the prepared pan. Coat a rubber spatula with nonstick cooking spray and use it to spread the marshmallow in an even layer (you can also use damp fingertips to spread it into the corner if that’s easier for you). Dust the top of the marshmallows with some of the remaining cornstarch mixture. Set the marshmallows aside (uncovered) for at least 4 hours, or up to overnight.
Turn the marshmallows onto a cutting board and use a pizza wheel (either sprayed with cooking spray or well dusted with the cornstarch mixture) to cut them into small squares. Dust the sides of all of the marshmallows with the cornstarch mixture (to keep them from sticking together).
Add the chocolate and vegetable oil to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second bursts at 50% power, stirring in between each interval, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Dip one end of each marshmallow in the chocolate then sprinkle with the crushed candy cane pieces. Transfer to a sheet of wax paper and set aside until the chocolate has set.
Store the marshmallows in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks.
Wow, you were one busy gal. I don’t think I’d ever get that much done in one day. All of your treatslook supurb!
Merry Christmas! 🙂
Both of our kitchens look deliciously messy! (I spent last night cleaning dishes.) 😀
What a festive assortment of treats… I wish I could grab a marshmallow right through the screen!
Merry Christmas, Tracey!
Wow, Tracey. You sure baked up a storm. Everything looks wonderful. I too made Dorie’s molasses cookies last week. I’m booimarking the marshmallow recipe. Previous recipe didn’t turn out that well for me. Happy holidays!
Everything looks fantastic! I can’t wait for the cheesecake. =) I definitely need to make chocolate dipped marshmallows for the girls (probably without the peppermint, since G doesn’t care for it). Merry Christmas Eve!
We should have made a deal to swap cheesecake slices for marshmallows! I so woulda been all over that deal. I meant to try and make marshmallows but never got around to it. Keep me posted on how the cheesecake turned out 🙂 Have a wonderful Christmas Tracey!
I used Alton Brown’s recipe as the inspiration for my Egg Nog Marshmallows and they were utter perfection!! These – dipped in chocolate – have my heart! ~Megan
A post full of gorgeous holiday sweets! Great black and white marshmallows with peppermint sprinkles.
Merry Christmas!
Angie
I’d never think to make marshmallows myself! Fascinatincg process!
That looks like a perfect day to me! Everything looks delicious too. My holiday baking just didn’t get off the ground this year, though I did get to make desserts for Christmas Eve and Day, so I can’t complain too much.
I’ve never made marshmallows before but have always wanted to. Thanks for the recipe, they look very festive. Happy holidays to you and may you have a safe, happy and healthy new year.
Peppermint marshmallows: Very unique and interesting. Never seen that recipe before.
These looks sooo good. I love peppermint and chocolate, and I bet adding marshmallows to the mix just makes it better 🙂
LOL…my kitchen looked a lot like that a few times this month. I’m glad that the brundt of the madness is over. I’m a bit sugared out, but I have a feeling I’ll get over it quickly.
Do you know of a recipe to make marshmallows without geletin? My nephew is allergic to geletin but likes marshmallows. The ones he can eat are sold in very few stores and one is across the country from where he lives.