Marshmallow Madness by Shauna Sever the the photography of Leigh Beisch (Quirk, $16.95)
This nifty little cookbook is full of puffalicious recipes including marshmallow treats which you can make from scratch in the family kitchen. If you think a marshmallow is just a marshmallow, this collection will rearrange the furniture in your head.
Shauna Sever runs the Bake Sale Bakery, a dessert-catering business in San Francisco. She also maintains a dessert blog (www.shaunasever.com), and is a frequent contributor to food-related television.
Her passion for baking began when she was in the third grade and attempted to sell day-glo confections she had made from doctored cake mix, canned frosting, and copious amounts of food coloring. Later, she sharpened her skills, studied for a brief time at San Francisco’s famed Tante Marie’s Cooking School before eventually opening her bakery.
With her easy, fun and accessible approach to baking, she proves that the family kitchen can be a center of fun and creativity in the family home. In addition to dozens of marshmallow-inspired recipes, her cookbook includes the tools and tips for making homemade marshmallows. It is much easier than you might think. What is amazing about this cookbook is the variety of different treats. Consider, if you will, Pineapple-Rosemary, Mango-Chile-Lime, Root Beer Float, and Maple-Bacon marshmallows.
This collection is divided into six main sections: The Classics; Fresh and Fruity; Happy Hour; For the Mallow Connoisseur; Kids in a Candy Store; and Fluffy, Puffy Desserts. The Classics are vanilla and chocolate recipes, the Fresh and Fruity recipes are flavored with fruit purees, juices and oils, and Happy Hour is as you might suspect, cocktail-inspired treats. The Mallow Connoisseur takes this dessert to a new level (think Sea Salt Caramel Swirl), Kids in a Candy Store is fun flavors for kids of all ages, and the final section sticky, gooey treats that use mallow as an important ingredient.
The main attraction of this cookbook is that it is a hoot. Even the cover is soft like a marshmallow.
Since I spent most of this week digging in boxes in my garage trying to find illusive tax papers, I decided that the stress was the only excuse I needed to whip up a nice platter of Margarita Marshmallows and that is the recipe I tested. I quickly discovered that after supper cocktail has never been more fun. Let me share a word of caution so that I won’t be in danger of winning a Paula Deen food award. With all the sugar and corn syrup, this is not a health food so repeat after me, moderation, moderation, moderation.
MARGARITA MARSHMALLOWS
Makes about 2 dozen
The Bloom
5 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin
¼ c freshly squeezed lime juice
2 Tbs tequila (80 proof)
¼ c cold water
++++
The Syrup
¾ c sugar
½ c light corn syrup divided
2 Tbs tequila
¼ tsp salt
+++
The Mallowing
Yellow-green gel food coloring (optional)
¼ c Classic Coating plus more for dusting (see recipe below)
¼ c Swedish pearl sugar, for rolling
Lightly coat an 8-by-8 inch-baking pan with cooking spray.
Whisk the gelatin with the lime juice, tequila, and water in a small bowl. Let it soften for 10 minutes.
Stir together the sugar, 1/3 c of the corn syrup, tequila, and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat. Boil, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 242F. Meanwhile, pour the remaining ¼ c corn syrup into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Microwave the gelatin on high until completely melted, about 30 seconds, and pour it into the corn syrup. Set the mixer to low and keep it running.
When the syrup reaches 242F to 245F, slowly pour it into the mixer bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes. Increase to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes more. Increase to the highest setting and beat for 1 to 2 minutes. The finished marshmallow will be more than doubled in volume. Add a bit of yellow-green food coloring. Pour the marshmallow into the prepared pan, using an offset spatula to smooth it into the corners. Sift coating evenly over the top. Let it set for at least 8 hours in a cool, dry place.
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. Roll the sticky sides of the mallows in pearl sugar.
Swedish pearl sugar gives these mallows a “salted rim” with a sweet crunch. It can be found at special stores and online.
CLASSIC COATING
1 ½ c confectioners’ sugar
1 c cornstarch or potato starch
Stir ingredients together in a large bowl or combine them in a food processor.