RECIPES “OFF THE CUFF”
HOMEMADE EASTER PEEPS
This Easter, why not make a new treat—Peeps. From scratch. Real Peeps are basically dollops of tinted marshmallow coated with colored sugar. You can even add flavoring to these marshmallow animals.
PEEPS or MARSHMALLOW ANIMALS
Equipment:
Rimmed baking sheet
Mixer with whisk attachment
Candy Thermometer
Wooden Spoon
Offset Spatula
Cookie Cutters
For the Marshmallow:
3-4oz. Containers Colored Coarse Decorating Sugar (all the same color)
2 ½ T. Unflavored Gelatin
1 cup Water, divided, plus 1 T.
1 ½ cups Sugar
1 cup Light Corn Syrup
¼ t. Salt
Food Coloring (Gel food coloring is best)
2 t. Vanilla Extract or Lemon for yellow, Peppermint for pink
Cooking Spray
Decorating Gel
Directions:
Spread one container of the decorating sugar evenly over rimmed baking sheet.
Set aside.
In a bowl, stir together the gelatin and ½ cup of the water. Let stand for 25 minutes.
In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, combine remaining ½ cup water, sugar, corn syrup and salt. Stir well, then add food coloring until desired color is reached.
Cook, stirring constantly, over low to medium-low heat until sugar has dissolved.
Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, stirring often.
Clip a candy thermometer to side of pan.
Reduce heat to medium and boil at a moderate, steady rate, stirring frequently, until the thermometer registers 244F (118C), about 15 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent mixture from boiling over. If necessary, reduce heat to medium-low.
With mixer and whisk attachment on low to medium-low, slowly pour hot sugar mixture into gelatin mixture. Increase mixer speed to high and beat for 15 minutes. Mixture should be thick, white and nearly tripled in volume.
Add flavoring (vanilla) and 1T. water, then beat until combined. If marshmallow is not desired color, add more food coloring and mix until just incorporated.
Spray wooden spoon with cooking spray, then spoon mixture onto prepared pan.
Spray offset spatula with cooking spray, then use it to spread marshmallow evenly over pan in a ½-inch thick layer.
Sprinkle a second container of decorating sugar over marshmallow and use your hands to spread it, coating marshmallow evenly.
Let stand, uncovered, overnight.
Once marshmallow has set, use cookie cutters to cut animals. Set them aside, making sure edges do not touch. Once all the animals have been cut, discard the scraps of marshmallow, but save the excess sugar in the pan.
Gather the excess sugar in a pile and gently roll the edges of the marshmallow animals to coat. They now can be decorated as desired using the decorating gel.
Makes 16 large animals (varies by cookie cutter size).
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