With snow falling and pretty lights shining in windows, what could make a day more festive than a cup of cocoa? Sure, you could grab that container of pre-made cocoa mix, add hot water, and enjoy. However, if you have an extra couple minutes, wouldn’t it be nice to make a cup of homemade cocoa?
Today’s recipe was given to us by the Woolverton Inn. Their cocoa has a delightful medley of flavors, including vanilla, mocha, cinnamon, and more. Topped with their recipe for homemade marshmallows, it is sure to be a treat that will be enjoyed by all cocoa lovers!
For chocolate devotees, try your hand at this recipe for triple chocolate truffles.
Spiced Hot Chocolate with Homemade Marshmallows
2015-02-02 12:20:59
Print
For Hot Chocolate Mix
- (This is a shelf stable dry mix you can keep for months. Also makes a great gift idea in a special jar or container. Spices can be eliminated for a more traditional hot chocolate.)
- 7 cups dry low-fat milk powder
- 3 ½ cups quality unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or in morsels
- 2 ½ cups superfine sugar
- 1 Tb. cinnamon
- 2 Tb. pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. almond extract
- ½ tsp. nutmeg
- ¼ tsp. ground clove
- ½ cup instant mocha cappuccino powder (optional)
- 2 tsp. salt
For Homemade Marshmallows
- About 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 3½ envelopes (2 Tb. plus 2 ½ tsp.) unflavored gelatin
- ½ cup cold water
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup hot water (about 115 degrees)
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 tsp. vanilla
For Hot Chocolate Mix
- Combine half of the powdered milk with all of the semi-sweet chocolate in a food processor. Process until chocolate is finely chopped, almost a powder. Mix in vanilla and almond extract and process to mix. Empty the contents of the food processor into a large bowl and mix in remaining milk powder and all other ingredients. Mix very well and process again in food processor to finish.
- Use about 1/8 cup of mixture for a small cup of cocoa, or ¼ cup for a large mug. Just add boiling water and stir well.
For Homemade Marshmallows
- You will need a candy thermometer.
- Spray a 13x9x2 inch rectangular metal baking pan with Pam and dust with some confectioners’ sugar.
- In a bowl of standing electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let stand to soften.
- In a 3-quart pan, cook granulated sugar, corn syrup, hot water, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240 degrees, about 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.
- Beat mixture on high speed until white, thick and nearly tripled in volume, about 6 minutes. In a large bowl with cleaned beaters, beat whites until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat whites and vanilla into sugar mixture until just combined. Pour mixture into baking pan and sift ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar evenly over top. Chill marshmallow, uncovered, until firm, at least three hours, and up to 1 day.
- Run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto large cutting board. Lifting up 1 corner of inverted pan, with fingers loosen marshmallow and let drop onto cutting board. With a large knife trim edges of marshmallow and cut marshmallows into roughly 1-inch cubes. Sift remaining confectioners’ sugar into a large bowl and add marshmallows in batches, tossing to evenly coat. Marshmallows keep in an airtight container at cool room temperature 1 week.
Think Tasty https://www.thinktasty.com/
