Cosy Autumn Nights
Autumn is definitely one of my top four seasons :) The autumnal colour palette - shades of orange, gold, and red - are not only awesome in the truest sense of the word, but inspiring in so many ways. Autumn is also the season where woolly jumpers, and snuggly scarves start making an appearance, and cosy nights in start to become really attractive again after a summer of galivanting.
Cosy nights in and gorgeous food go hand in hand, and anything gooey and sticky is definitely an autumn favourite in my house. Sticky toffee pudding, chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream, and s’mores will all be making an appearance over the coming weeks. At Fab Towers we’ve come up with a way to carry a bit of that cosiness with you even when you can’t be curled up at home. Our “travel s’mores” are marshmallows filled with chocolate chunks and biscuits, they’re delicious and are a snuggly blanket in sweet form. You can follow the recipe below to make your own slices of cosy heaven.
S’more Marshmallows
Makes 15 marshmallows
Equipment
1 small saucepan
1 medium sized saucepan
Stand mixer with whisk blade
1 9” square cake pan
1 large spoon / spatula
1 sugar thermometer (not essential)
Medium sized bowl
Hand whisk
Ingredients
Caster sugar 415g
Golden syrup 1/4 cup
Water 1/2 cup
Leaf gelatine 5 sheets (we used Dr. Oetker)
Egg white 2 eggs
Vanilla extract 1 tsp
Digestive biscuits 6 biscuits, crumbled
Milk chocolate 75g chopped into small pieces
Icing sugar 200g
Cornstarch 50g
Method
Prep the gelatine -
Using kitchen scissors cut gelatine into smaller pieces.
In a small bowl, pour 1/2 a cup of room temperature water over gelatine.
Leave for 5 minutes.
Sugar mixture -
Combine caster sugar, golden syrup, and half cup of water in medium sized saucepan
Stir briefly to combine ingredients, then using a wet pastry brush, or towel, clean the sides of the pan above the sugar mixture. This helps you avoid burnt sugar crystals.
Place pan over medium heat.
Let mixture boil until 125°, or until is has achieved it’s “hard ball stage”. Usually 10-12 minutes.
If not using a thermometer, prepare a cup with cool water and have it ready as you will need this to confirm when your sugar mix is ready.
Back to gelatine -
While the sugar mixture is boiling squeeze the gelatine leaves and place in the small saucepan
Place the saucepan over low heat until the leaves have melted. Do NOT let the gelatine mixture boil or burn.
Pour the melted gelatine and a 1/4 cup of warm water into your mixer
Sugar mixture continued -
To judge if “hard ball” stage has been achieved, use a teaspoon to scoop a small amount of the sugar mixture out of the saucepan. Drop this mixture into a cup of cold water. Once in the cold water, form the cooled mixture into a ball. If it mostly holds the shape when you squeeze it, and feels firm to the touch, you have achieved “hard ball”.
When sugar mixture is ready, put the mixer on at a medium speed.
Pour all of the sugar mixture slowly down the sides of the mixer (to allow it to cool slightly) into the mixer bowl so that it combines with the gelatine.
Whisk on a medium speed for 5 minutes.
Then whisk on high for 8 minutes. (The mixture should now be about two and a half times the original volume)
Whisk eggs whites in a separate bowl, until you achieve stiff white peaks.
Add egg whites and vanilla to sugar/gelatine mixture, and whisk on high for a further two minutes.
Add crumbled biscuits and chocolate pieces to marshmallow mix, and stir in lightly.
Cut a sheet of baking paper that is about an inch wider and longer than your cake tin
Line the cake tin with the paper.
Pour the marshmallow mix into the cake tin, and use your spatula or spoon to spread it evenly around the tin.
Allow mixture to set for 8 hours.
Finishing -
Mix cornstarch and icing sugar together and coat your work surface
Turn over tin, and release set marshmallow block onto cornstarch/icing sugar blend.
Lightly grease a sharp knife ( we used vegetable oil) and cut your marshmallow block into smaller squares.
Roll marshmallows in cornstarch/icing sugar mixture and store in an air tight container, or just eat:)
Have fun making and eating these yummy marshmallows!
