Bourbon Vanilla Marshmallows Recipe Epicuriouscom Recipes

BOURBON-VANILLA MARSHMALLOWS

Steps:

• Using a small, sharp knife split the vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape the seeds into a small bowl. Reserve the vanilla bean pods. Transfer about one-third of the seeds to a second small bowl and add 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar. Using a mortar or the back of a spoon, pound and mix together. Add the remaining confectioners' sugar and stir to combine. Cover and let stand at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Vanilla sugar can be made ahead and stored, in an airtight container at room temperature, indefinitely.
• Add the bourbon to the remaining vanilla seeds and whisk to disperse the seeds. Set aside.
• Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan with vegetable oil. Using a small, fine-mesh sieve, dust the pan generously with the vanilla sugar, knocking out any excess.
• Put 1/2 cup water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Sprinkle the gelatin into the bowl and stir briefly to make sure all the gelatin is in contact with water. Let soften while you make the sugar syrup.
• In a heavy 3- to 4-quart saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water. Place over moderate heat and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add the scraped vanilla bean pods to the pot then put a candy thermometer into the boiling sugar syrup and continue boiling (the mixture may foam up, so turn the heat down slightly if necessary), without stirring, until the thermometer registers 240°F (soft-ball stage). Remove the saucepan from the heat and let stand briefly until the bubbles dissipate slightly. Using tongs, carefully remove the vanilla bean pods and discard.
• With the mixer on low speed, pour the hot sugar syrup into the softened gelatin in a thin stream down the side of the bowl. Gradually increase the mixer speed to high and beat until the marshmallow is very thick and forms a thick ribbon when the whisk is lifted, about 5 minutes. Whisk the bourbon-vanilla seed mixture to disperse the seeds, then add to the marshmallow and beat until incorporated.
• Scrape the marshmallow into the prepared pan (it will be very sticky) and use wet fingertips to spread it evenly and smooth the top. Let stand, uncovered at room temperature, until the surface is no longer sticky and you can gently pull the marshmallow away from the sides of the pan with your fingertips, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Dust a cutting board with vanilla sugar. Use a rubber spatula to pull the sides of the marshmallow from the edge of the pan (use the spatula to loosen the marshmallow from the bottom of the pan if necessary) and invert onto the cutting board. Dust the top with vanilla sugar. Brush a long thin knife or a chef's knife with vegetable oil and dust with vanilla sugar to prevent sticking; continue dusting the knife as necessary. Cut lengthwise into 8 strips, then crosswise into eighths, to form a total of 64 squares. (For larger marshmallows, cut lengthwise into 6 strips, then crosswise into sixths, to form a total of 36 squares.) Coat marshmallows, one at a time, in confectioners' sugar, using a pastry brush to brush off any excess. DO AHEAD: Marshmallows can be stored, layered between sheets of wax paper or parchment in an airtight container in a dry place at cool room temperature, for 1 month.

HOMEMADE MARSHMALLOWS

Steps:

• Line 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan with foil.
• Coat foil lightly with nonstick spray. Pour 1/2 cup cold water into bowl of heavy-duty mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Sprinkle gelatin over water. Let stand until gelatin softens and absorbs water, at least 15 minutes.
• Combine 2 cups sugar, corn syrup, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup cold water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over mediumlow heat until sugar dissolves, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush. Attach candy thermometer to side of pan. Increase heat and bring syrup to boil. Boil, without stirring, until syrup reaches 240°F, about 8 minutes.
• With mixer running at low speed, slowly pour hot syrup into gelatin mixture in thin stream down side of bowl (avoid pouring syrup onto whisk, as it may splash). Gradually increase speed to high and beat until mixture is very thick and stiff, about 15 minutes. Add vanilla and beat to blend, about 30 seconds longer.
• Scrape marshmallow mixture into prepared pan. Smooth top with wet spatula. Let stand uncovered at room temperature until firm, about 4 hours.
• Stir potato starch and powdered sugar in small bowl to blend. Sift generous dusting of starch-sugar mixture onto work surface, forming rectangle slightly larger than 13x9 inches. Turn marshmallow slab out onto starch-sugar mixture; peel off foil. Sift more starch-sugar mixture over marshmallow slab. Coat large sharp knife (or cookie cutters) with nonstick spray. Cut marshmallows into squares or other shapes. Toss each in remaining starch-sugar mixture to coat. Transfer marshmallows to rack, shaking off excess mixture.
• *A food thickener made from cooked, dried, ground potatoes, this gluten free flour is also known as potato flour; available at most supermarkets.

MARSHMALLOWS

Steps:

• Oil bottom and sides of a 13- by 9- by 2-inch rectangular metal baking pan and dust bottom and sides with some confectioners' sugar.
• In bowl of a standing electric mixer or in a large bowl sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let stand to soften.
• In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook granulated sugar, corn syrup, hot water, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240°F., about 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.
• With standing or a hand-held electric mixer beat mixture on high speed until white, thick, and nearly tripled in volume, about 6 minutes if using standing mixer or about 10 minutes if using hand-held mixer. In a large bowl with cleaned beaters beat whites (or reconstituted powdered whites) until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat whites and vanilla into sugar mixture until just combined. Pour mixture into baking pan and sift 1/4 cup confectioners― sugar evenly over top. Chill marshmallow, uncovered, until firm, at least 3 hours, and up to 1 day.
• Run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board. Lifting up 1 corner of inverted pan, with fingers loosen marshmallow and let drop onto cutting board. With a large knife trim edges of marshmallow and cut marshmallow into roughly 1-inch cubes. Sift remaining confectioners' sugar into a large bowl and add marshmallows in batches, tossing to evenly coat. Marshmallows keep in an airtight container at cool room temperature 1 week.

BOURBON BALLS

Steps:

• Combine the crushed wafers and pecans in a large bowl. Place the chopped chocolate in a separate bowl.
• In a small saucepan, combine the cream, corn syrup, and cinnamon, place over medium heat, and bring to just a boil, stirring constantly. Immediately pour the mixture over the chopped chocolate and whisk to blend in the cream as the chocolate melts. Let cool for 1 to 2 minutes, then whisk in the bourbon.
• Pour the chocolate mixture over the crumb-nut mixture and stir well to combine. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes. Form the mixture into balls with a small melon baller (about 2 teaspoons), roll in coatings if desired, and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 1 week.

VEGAN VANILLA MARSHMALLOWS

Steps:

• Lightly coat an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
• MAKE THE FLUFF: In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together all ingredients until smooth. Put the bowl on the mixer and fit it with the whisk attachment. Beat the fluff on high speed until it triples in volume and forms firm peaks, about 7 to 8 minutes (it will resemble softly whipped cream). Stop the mixer.
• PLACE THE SUGAR, Genutine, corn syrup, water, and salt in a food processor and process for 1 minute. Pour the syrup into a large saucepan and stir gently over high heat. Boil for 8 minutes, stirring often. The syrup will thicken, forming bubbles almost 1 inch in diameter; you should see flashes of the bottom of the pan as you stir. Stir in the vanilla.
• RESTART THE MIXER on medium speed. Quickly scrape the syrup into the mixer bowl all at once and immediately increase the speed to high. Beat for 7 to 9 minutes on high speed; the candy will turn opaque white and fluffy, and nearly fill the bowl. Scrape it into the prepared pan. Place a large sheet of parchment paper spritzed with cooking spray on top and use both hands to smooth the marshmallow evenly into the corners. Let set at room temperature for another 4 to 6 hours.
• Remove parchment and use a knife to loosen the marshmallow from the edges of the pan. Invert the slab onto a coating-dusted work surface and dust it with more coating. Cut into pieces and dip the sticky edges in more coating, patting off the excess.