Hot Cocoa served with Home-Made Marshmellows


  

Home-Made Marshmellows

Ingredients

1 package unflavoured gelatin

80mL cold ice water, divided

125mL sugar

80mL light corn syrup

one small pinch of salt

1.5mL vanilla

20mL icing sugar

20mL cornstarch

non stick cooking spray

Method

1) Place the gelatin into a medium bowl along with 40mL of the water.

2) In a small saucepan, combine the remaining 40mL water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Place over medium heat, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes. Uncover and using a candy thermometer, cook until the mixture reaches 240°F, about 7-8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from heat.
3) With the electric mixer, running at low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of teh bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once all of the syrup has been added, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12-15 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping.
4) While the above mixture is whipping, prepare the pan as follows:
For regular marshmallows: combine the icing sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a small square cake pan with cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move it around in the pan until it completely coats the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use. When ready, pour the mixture into prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar/cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit for at least 4 hours and up to overnight. Turn the marshmallows onto a cutting board and cut into 2.5cm squares with a knife dusted with the sugar/cornstarch mix. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture.
For miniature marshmallows: combine the icing sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper; spray the paper with nonstick spray and dust with the icing sugar mixture. Scoop the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1.25cm/.5inch round piping tip. Pipe the mixture onto the pan lengthwise, leaving 2.5cm/1inch between each strip. Sprinkle the tops with enough remaining cornstarch and sugar mixture to lightly cover. Let set for 4 hours or up to overnight. Cut into 1.25cm/.5inch pieces with a knife dusted with the sugar/cornstarch mix. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marsmallow with the remaining mixture.

*Note* These marshmallows can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.

Hot Cocoa

Ingredients:

125mL sugar

50mL Cocoa Powder

Dash of salt

80mL hot water

1L 2% milk

*4mL vanilla extract*

Method:

1) Stir together sugar, cocoa and salt in medium saucepan; stir in water.

2) Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to boil.

3) Boil and stir 2 minutes.

4) Add milk; Stirring constantly, heat to serving temperature. Do not boil.

5) Remove from heat; Add vanilla*. Whisk until mixture is foamy.

6) Serve topped with marshmallows.

*Variations for flavouring: Add one of the following with the vanilla extract:

Spiced cocoa: dash of ground cinnamon and dash of ground nutmeg. Serve with a cinnamon stick if desired.

Mint cocoa: 2mL mint extract OR 45mL crushed hard peppermint candy. Serve with peppermint candy stick, if desired.

Citrus cocoa: 2mL orange extract.

Swiss mocha: 10mL powdered instand coffee.

Canadian cocoa: 2mL maple extract.

Banana Splitsville

Ingredients:

Basic Caramel Software

500mL sugar

250mL water

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Caramel Sauce Software

1 batch caramel (above)

500mL heavy cream (whipping cream)

Banana Brulee Software

4 bananas

Sugar for coating

*Additional Splitsville Software: Ice cream of your choice*

Method:

1) Combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a small, heavy saucepan and place over high heat. As soon as the sugar has dissolved, heat your thermometer under warm tap water (to prevent thermal shock) and attach to side of pan, making sure that the bulb is completely submerged. Do not stir the mixture or agitate the pan at this stage.

2) When the mixture reaches 230°F (110°C), reduce the heat to medium and allow the sugar to colour gradually. As the temperature approaches 300°F (150°C) the colour will start to turn amber. At this point, it's safe to swirl the pan gently to help distribute the heat evenly. As the caramel heads towards 340°F (170°C), it will reach a deep amber colour.
3) Remove the pan from the heat and slowly stir with a metal spoon, allowing it to cool until the caramel falls from the spoon in a solid stream, like a string. When it does, it's doodad time.
4) Form doodads by holding the spoon 12-16 inches over the caramel and drizzling the patterns on the parchment. (Hint: Allow the spoon to unload into the pan for a few seconds before attempting doodad. This will allow a narrower stream.) Quick back and forth motions or side to side movements are best. It's all in the wrist. Allow doodads to cool for 15 minutes, then peel the paper off (not the other way around). Stack in an airtight container with wax paper between each piece.
5) After making 15-20 doodads, you should have sufficient caramel remaining to move on to the sauce phase. So return the remaining caramel to high heat and continue cooking until you see the first sign of smoke. Immediately remove from the heat, and add the cream, all at once, at arms length. (It will boil furiously). Once the mixture calms down, return heat to medium heat and boil 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool to room temperature, move to squirt bottle and refrigerate for up to a week.
6) To make banana brulee, quarter the bananas (peel on) and rub into sugar to coat thoroughly. Remove peel and place on cooking rack over several layers of foil. (Don't try this on your dining room table.) Don your safety goggles and fire up your torch. Hold the torch so that the very tip of the glame barely touches the banana, and move quickly back and forth until the sugar melts, turns brown, and bubbles. As soon as it looks like caramel, move on. You know you've got it down when a solid, glasslike sheet of gold (no graininess) has formed on the banana.
7) To do the split (so to speak), squirt a pattern of caramel sauce on a chilled plate, top with 4 banana pieces (Lincoln log style), top with the ice cream of your choice, and finally, a doodad.

*Vocabulary*
Brulee: To burn, scorch, go through, light, set on fire.
*To brulee: A brulee torch or oven broiler that is used to crammalize sugar.

Easy Nut Brittle

Ingredients:

250mL sugar

125mL corn syrup (light)

f.g. salt

250mL nuts (Peanuts, cashews, almonds, etc)

5mL butter

5mL vanilla

5mL baking soda

Method:

1) Spray a jelly roll pan with non-stick spray

2) In a large glass bowl or measuring cup, stir in sugar, corn syrup, and salt with a wooden spoon.

3) Microwave on high until syrup is pale yellow (the colour of honey) for about 5-8 minutes.

4) Add nuts and then put back into microwave for a minute (Might take more than that)

5) Immediately stir in butter, vanilla, and baking soda. The mixture will be foaming.

6) Quickly and carefully pour into the jelly roll pan. Spread the brittle evenly across the jelly roll pan.

7) When the brittle is completely cooled, break it into pieces & enjoy it with your family and friends!

*Vocabulary*

Brittle: A candy made from sugar that is heated to the hard-crack stage; The final temperature is 149°C (300°F) to 154°C (310°F)

GINGERBREAD HOUSE!!

Pumpkin carving & Delicious pumpkin seeds!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEEEEEN GUYS! <3

Spider Web Cookies

Ingredients (For cookies):

375mL flour

300mL cocoa powder

3mL salt

185mL margarine

300mL sugar

1 egg

3mL vanilla

Ingredients (For royal icing):

250g icing sugar

2mL cream of tartar

15mL whip powder

50mL water

Method:

1) In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, and salt. Set mixture aside.

2) Use an electric mixer to cream the margarine and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg & vanilla. Add flour mixture; Mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Divide the dough in half; Wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 10 minutes in the freezer.

3) Heat oven to 350°F or 180°C. Roll the dough out between two pieces of wax paper until about 5mm thick. Cut out a tracer for the web shape from scale paper. Cut out each cookie.

4) Place cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.

5) Cool completely on wire racks.

6) To make royal icing, whip together the icing ingredients in a mdedium bowl.

7) To make the cobweb design, begin by icing cookie with white royal icing. To 50mL of the icing sugar, add 30mL melted chocolate chips or use black icing paste.

8) Pipe out a spiral of back icing starting from the center to the edges of the cookies.

9) Draw a bamboo skewer, a toothpick, or use the tip or a sharp knife and drag it from the center to each point of the cookie, then from the inner curves back to the center.

*Words in bolded & Italic forms are what I used.

Yellow Cupcakes

Ingredients:

375mL cake flour sifted

5mL baking powder

1mL salt

220mL granulated sugar

85mL margarine

1 egg

5mL vanilla extract

150mL milk

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 350°F or 180°C

2) Line a muffin tin with paper liners.

3) Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; Set aside.

4) Cream sugar and butter together until light.

5) Add the egg and vanilla to creamed mixture and beat until thoroughly mixed.

6) Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Continue beating one minute.

7) Pour into prepared pan. Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

8) Cool for 10 minutes in pan on rack; remove and cool completely before decorating

*Vocabulary*

Cake flour: A fine texture, soft sweet flour, with a high starch content; It makes tender cakes and pastry


AND if you want icing...here's a picture for reference and the ingredients/methods for that:

                         

Ingredients (for classic butter icing):
250mL vegetable shorting
5mL vanilla
30mL water
454g (1000mL) icing sugar
15mL egg white powder

Method:
1) In a large bowl, cream shortening, icing sugar, egg white powder, vanilla, and water.
2) Add dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until all ingredients have been thoroughly mixed together.
3) Blend together an additional minute until creamy. This icing can be refrigerated or you can freeze it.

Ingredients (for Royal icing):
45mL meringue powder
454g (1000mL) icing sugar
60-70mL lukewarm water

Method:
1) Place the water and meringue powder in a large bowl.
2) Mix at a high speed with an electric mixer until it looks like stiff egg whites.
3) Add icing sugar and mix 7-10 minutes at low speed until icing loses its sheen.
4) To prevent drying, be sure to cover the bowl with a damp cloth while working with the icing or if you are not using it within an hour, store it in a ziplock bag.

*This icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. To re-use, beat on low to restore texture. This recipe makes 750mL of icing*

One more cupcake picture...Just for you!