Chocolate Swirled Marshmallows

Well, this week has been EXTREMELY crazy! I was robbed this past weekend, and I've been extremely stressed about that....However, I DID find time to make these chocolate swirled marshmallows I've been dying to try. I found a recipe from Alton Brown and edited it to my liking. Marshmallows aren't difficult to make, and if you are intimidated by the use of a candy thermometer, don't worry because that doesn't make it any more complicated! 

 The cold water and gelatin mixture looks kind of funky, but don't worry; that's how it is supposed to look

I have a cheap candy thermometer, so mine kept slipping and falling off into the syrup mixture. I eventually had to put on an oven mitt, and hold it in place. It worked though!

The sugar syrup is a yellowish color after heating to 240 degrees.

Be careful when pouring the sugar syrup into the gelatin mixture because it is extremely hot!

My puppy was jealous that my boyfriend got a marshmallow and she didn't!

Ingredients

• 3 packages unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup ice cold water, divided
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate
• Nonstick spray

Directions

Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Have the whisk attachment standing by.

In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.

Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping. While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans as follows.

Combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.

When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Melt the chocolate with about a 1/2 tablespoon of water in the microwave on 30 second intervals, stirring well in between until fully melted (about 6 or 7 times). Drizzle the chocolate over the marshmallow mixture and use a toothpick to swirl into the marshmallows. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Bread Pudding

I've been babysitting this week, and I've been super busy, so I haven't had a lot of time to think of new dessert ideas, so I decided to go with a recipe I've been making a lot this past year. Bread pudding is a southern comfort food staple, and it also tastes AWESOME! I usually double this recipe and make two because they get eaten fast! This recipe is also really easy to alter- replace the raisins with chocolate chips and throw in some cocoa powder, and you've got chocolate chip bread pudding!

I broke the bread into manageable pieces, drizzled with melted butter, and sprinkled the raisins liberally. If you aren't a fan of raisins, just take them out or add something else in their place :) 

 I mixed the sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and cinnamon together! Beat with a fork right before pouring over the bread to keep everything from separating

I poured the above mixture over the bread and pressed the bread down with a fork to make sure all of the bread got covered. If all of the bread doesn't get covered, it'll brown in the oven and be crunchy.

Sophia, one of my two adorable Boston Terriers, kept barking at me and looking at the oven; I guess she was hungry too :)

The finished product!

Plated :)

Ingredients

• 6 slices French bread
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups milk or 1 cup milk & 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 
  
• Directions
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• Tear bread into small pieces into an 8 inch square baking pan (or really anything you've got; I use a pie dish). Drizzle melted butter over bread, and sprinkle with raisins.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Pour over bread, and lightly push down with a fork until bread is covered.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly tapped.

Hot Pink Pound Cake

This week, I decided to make another pound cake since the one I made last week went over so well. I have an absurd amount of food coloring gel, so I figured I'd also dye it hot pink! Sadly, I don't have one of those super cute bundt pans, so I had to bake it in a beat-up, dented, aluminum-looking pan, but it still tastes amazing! I also plan to make this for Breast Cancer awareness events in the future, such as Relay for Life.


Obviously, I first gathered all of my ingredients together and took a cute picture! Pound cakes are really easy to make because they all mix together in one bowl, and they don't require expensive or extravagant ingredients. The only thing about pound cakes is that you have to be really quiet when making them because they will fall in a heartbeat.

I then thoroughly greased and floured my super sketchy dented tube pan!

I creamed the shortening, butter, and Wilton Icing Color together. I wasn't sure when to add the coloring, but I figured I'd just add it at the beginning so I wouldn't have to worry about it later.

Then I added the sugar! The recipe calls for three cups of sugar, so I had to add it in stages.

Finally, the batter is complete!

Then, I used a rubber spatula to scrape the batter into my prepared cake pan; the color is so pretty!

It took about 1 hour and 20 minutes for the pound cake to finish, and I am SOOO glad that the intense thunder didn't cause it to fall. It looks kind of ugly on the outside, but then again, I am going to flip it over so no one will see this side :)

Base recipe via Paula Deen
Ingredients

• 2 sticks butter, plus more for pan
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 3 cups sugar
• 5 eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ~3/4 teaspoon of hot pink coloring gel!

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

With a mixer, cream butter and shortening together. Add sugar, a little at a time. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Stir dry ingredients together in a bowl and add to mixer alternately with milk, starting with the flour and ending with the flour. Mix in vanilla. Pour into a greased and floured tube pan and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.