Sunday, March 06, 2005

Happiness in a Mug

Best Cup of Hot Chocolate You'll Ever Have:

Ingredients per serving:
1/2 oz peppermint schnapps
1 cup milk or half and half
3 tbsp Ghiradelli sweetened ground chocolate and cocoa
4 (or so) homemade marshmallows (recipe to follow)

Directions:
Place the schnapps in the bottom of your mug. Whisk together the milk and chocolate over low heat until it begins to form bubbles around the edge (a hot, but drinkable temperature.) Pour into the mug and top with marshmallows.


Homemade Marshmallows

Ingredients:
2 1/2 tbsp unflavored gelatin (just shy of 4 envelopes)
1 cup cold water, divided
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp vanilla
powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:
1. Combine gelatin and 1/2 cup water in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Let sit 30 minutes.
2. Combine sugar, corn syrup, salt, and remaining water in heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat over low until sugar is completely dissolved. Increase heat and cook syrup to 244 degrees Farenheight.
3. Remove from heat and beat syrup into gelatin until thick and tripled in volume, about 15 minutes.
4. Beat in vanilla just until incorporated.
5. Lightly spray 9X13 pan with cooking spray. Dust liberally with powdered sugar. Pour marshmallow into pan and dust top with sugar. Let air dry overnight. (I recommend putting a cooling rack on top of the pan and weighing it down with something if you have pets.)
6. Cut marshmallow into cubes using kitchen shears. Toss in powdered sugar and store in an airtight container.

Now, I know that sounds like a lot of work, but . . . it's worth it. I usually make 1 batch in the fall which is more than enough for hot chocolate throughout the winter and if I have any left come springtime, I make a pan of the best Rice Krispie bars known to man.

Enjoy.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Ohhhhhh, that sounds soooooo good..... mmmmmmmmmm

Gonna have to make me some of that, if you know what I'm sayin'! :D