You’ll PEEP with Joy – Colored Sugar-Covered Marshmallow Treats!

It’s the first week of Spring and it’s Easter week. There are many people who have given up sweets for Lent and are just dying to sink their teeth into a decadent treat. Many will be indulging in a marshmallow-y chick-shaped store-bought confection but what I propose is so much better and easy to make!

Yeah, I’m talking about a homemade version of Peeps™. On Monday I showed you how to create your own custom colored sugars so now all you need is some shapely homemade pliable (or Spring-y – haha) marshmallow. This recipe makes 30-50 treats, depending on the shapes you make. 

Here’s how:

INGREDIENTS:
• 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin powder, 1/2 oz.
• 1/2 cup + 6 tbsp water, divided
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tsp vanilla
• Candy thermometer

• Colored Sugar
• Your choice of candy mold, pan, small cookie cutters, etc.
• Non-stick spray

DIRECTIONS:
1) Combine 1/2 cup water and gelatin powder in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
2) Place the candy thermometer in a small saucepot. Add the remaining water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Stir to combine. Let it cook until the temperature reaches 240°, about 10-12 minutes.
3) Remove from heat and, with the mixer on low using the whisk attachment, pour into the gelatin mixture down the side of the bowl. Raise the mixer speed to high and whisk for about 10 minutes, until it’s starts getting thicker, more lustrous, and larger in volume. Add the vanilla and whip about another minute. You’re ready to create your marshmallow shapes.
4) Feel free to pipe any shape but I am not adept at free-piping – ha! I use molds, a pan, and small cookie cutters. Grease molds and pan. Spoon in the mixture and let set for about 10-20 minutes.

5) While you wait, prepare small dishes with colored sugars.

6) This is going to be sticky! For the molds, add a bit of sugar to the top, remove them and cover in sugar one at a time. For the pan, use the cookie cutters to punch out your shapes, add a bit of sugar to the top, remove, and cover in sugar one at a time. Adding the sugar to the top makes them easier to handle and less likely to stick to your fingertips.

 

I created all of these in about 90 minutes from start to finish including making the sugars. That’s pretty quick! I don’t need to tell you that any kid, old or young, will ADORE making these. Preparing Easter baskets to include such delightful bunnies and eggies and flowers will be a hit. I’ll be giving these out to happy faces for sure!

This is the second marshmallow item I’ve shared with you, the first being marshmallow creme from our 2016 Red Carpet Menu for Oscar® – The Marsh-In for The Martian.  Now, this recipe uses gelatin, which is how they form, but I didn’t use enough for them to be “properly” stiff like any bag of marshmallows – these needed to be more delicate. But stay tuned for more marshmallow madness!

Happy Easter!

Annette