Snag a Big Lick!

Stop in Poked You Too beginning Tuesday, July 21st for a FREE SAMPLE of my NEW Big Lick Salt Bar Soap while supplies last. This beautiful, blue colored soap has a very fresh greenery base of clover, ivy and aloe, combined with exciting notes of grapefuit, orange, tangerine, and persimmon. It's a great unisex scent! Try it for yourself and find out why my salt bars are so fabulous! Visit the Poked You Too website for hours and location.

Also be sure to check out my latest interview with Indie Inspirations Blog. I was the second artisan interviewed for Andrea's Work at Home Mom Series. Read the interview here.

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Homemade Marshmallows

Article by Sugar Plum. Reprinted with permission.



Hell yes, I said homemade marshmallows.
I'm not playin' around.

Marshmallows bring up all kinds of happy memories for most people...making s'mores around the campfire, hot cocoa on a snowy day, Peeps on Easter morning, fluffernutter sandwiches for lunch...
I've been too intimidated to try making homemade marshmallows, but I've always wanted to.

Here's the thing: they aren't as difficult as they seem.

A lot of the recipes out there seem to be really complicated, and I was having trouble deciding on one. Cindy from Rosehaven Cottage posted her Grammy's marshmallow recipe for me, and I knew that I had to try it.

The recipe was simple and I loved the vintage(?) feel of how it was written. I'm not sure how old Grammy was when she made marshmallows, but I kind of picture her making these in the 50's, wearing cat-eye glasses and saddle shoes, maybe while watching I Love Lucy.

Grammy was a little vague in her recipe (ha ha), so I have rewritten the recipe with a little more direction.

This is how simple it is:
-You make a very hot simple syrup.
-You pour it over a mixture of gelatin and water.
-You beat the mixture in a stand mixer for 20 minutes.
-You pour it into a dish and let it cool.
-You cut it into squares.

Making the marshmallow was a lot of fun, and I'm ready to make more. It would be fun to add different flavors - extracts, juices, etc...I'm thinking peppermint marshmallows for Christmas. Maybe I'll even make a Halloween marshmallow.

Here's the only thing that bothered me. Just a small thing. I don't know if this has bothered anyone else, but I could smell and taste the gelatin a bit. I'm not a big fan of gelatin, especially the smell. But I don't know. I think I might be really sensitive to it?
It wasn't a big issue, because other than that, I loved the homemade marshmallows! Much better than the store-bought version.

Thanks Cindy, for the recipe! If anyone tries these, let me know how it goes.

Homemade Marshmallows (Recipe by Emiline, but adapted from Grammy)

Ingredients:
Butter, for greasing & confectioners' sugar, for coating
2 tablespoons gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup boiling water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:
Butter an 8x8-inch square baking dish. Line with waxed paper, then butter waxed paper, and lightly coat with confectioners' sugar.

Disolve gelatin in cold water, in the bowl of a stand mixer, using whisk attachment.

In a large saucepan, over medium high heat, whisk together granulated sugar, boiling water and salt; bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Stop whisking, and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until a thermometer reads 236 degrees F.

Pour syrup slowly over gelatin. Add vanilla extract, and beat on medium speed, for 20 minutes, or until thick and cool.

Butter a spatula, and scrape marshmallow cream into prepared dish; smooth the surface. Freeze overnight, then remove waxed paper from dish, lifting out marshmallow. Peel waxed paper off, then cut into squares, on a cutting board, using a buttered-sharp knife. Lightly dust marshmallows with additional confectioners' sugar.

Makes 36 mallows (This depends on how big you cut them.)

For more great recipes, visit Sugar Plum blog.

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