Thank you so much for your kind words from the last post. Sharing all of that left me with a bit of a vulnerability hangover but I was so lifted by your comments and reminded of how fortunate I am for this community and that I get the pleasure of sharing my life with you all. I appreciate each and everyone of you who responded with such grace and vulnerability. Now let’s go talk about candy!

About three years ago I started teaching a homemade candy bar class at The Pantry. It’s the sort of class that makes me giddy to get to do the work I do because basically in that moment I’m Willy Wonka. Perhaps a slightly less eccentric version than the characters in both versions of the movie, but maybe not.

My students have to work very hard in the three hours we have together. They whip up batches of peanut butter laced nougat, turn ordinary sugar into copper colored caramel dotted with vanilla bean flecks and beat powdered sugar into peppermint scented dough. All of that work culminates in a chocolate dipping party that spans the length of the 20-foot table. Six bowls line the middle, each filled with either melted milk chocolate or bittersweet. At the end of it all we have dozens of homemade Snickers, Peppermint Patties, Butterfingers, Peanut Butter Cups, Twix Bars and fifteen very happy people. Each one of them walk into that room skeptical of their abilities to turn simple ingredients into childhood favorites and by the end of the night they walk away with a box filled with candies better than the originals.

There are a few candy recipes on this site and one of them is for homemade Twix but in the process of teaching this class I have perfected my recipe and have only recently realized that I’ve not been back to share the new and improved version. Even better still, I went and turned the recipe into a tart so you can just go ahead and skip all the time and mess of dipping the individual bars in chocolate.

If you do want the candy bars it’s a bit of a process but not a hard one. The buttery cookie base includes a touch of finely ground rice. A strange ingredient indeed but it’s a trick I learned from my former Pastry Chef, Sherry Yard, while working at Spago, and I trust that lady with all things butter and sugar. Plain white rice is blitzed in a spice grinder (or blender) – which, by the way, is a perfect way to clean your spice grinder, and then a couple of tablespoons is added to the dough. It adds a pleasant crunch that I just love. The bases are cut and baked then pressed gently into the still warm caramel. Once set you cut along the edge of the cookie so that you have a perfectly formed cookie and caramel layer ready to dip into chocolate. Or, like I said, skip all of that and just make the tart.

Our October newsletter is going to hit your inbox next week and it’s all about candy including a bonus recipe that is always a huge hit in class. Sign up (or leave your email in a comment and I’ll be sure you’re on the list).

Homemade Twix: Bar + Tart

The addition of ground rice to the cookie base adds a great crunch to the sweet candy bar.

Cookie Base

6 oz/ 1 1/2 sticks butter, soft

3 oz/ 3/4 cups powdered sugar

1 egg

8 1/2 oz/ 2 cups flour

2 tablespoons ground rice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Caramel

8 oz/ 1 cup sugar

6 oz/ 1/2 cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup (you can substitute corn syrup here if you'd like)

1/4 cup water

6 oz/ 3/4 cup heavy cream

2 oz/ 4 tablespoons butter, soft

1/2 vanilla bean, seeds removed

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 pounds milk chocolate, finely chopped

1 tablespoon oil

For the cookie:

Combine the butter and sugar in a bowl and mix until creamy. Add the egg and beat until the color lightens, about 1 minute.

Add the flour, ground rice, vanilla extract and salt and mix until combined.

Form into a flat, rectangular disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Heat oven to 375°F. Place dough on a large piece of parchment paper, lightly flour and roll the dough to about 1/8 inch thick. (Work quickly, because the dough will become difficult to roll as it warms up.) Transfer parchment paper with dough to a baking sheet then refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

Cut the dough into 3-1/2-by-3/4-inch cookies. You should get at least 24 cookies. Pierce each cookie several times with a fork.

Place on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and let cool. Meanwhile, make the caramel.

For the caramel:

Grease a 9x13 pan with soft butter and line it with parchment paper, leaving a few inches of overhang on each side. Set aside.

Combine the sugar, golden syrup and water in a large saucepan. Stir gently to combine then wash off the sides of the pan using water and your clean hands to feel if any sugar remains on the side. If stray bits of sugar fall into the caramel it can cause the caramel to crystallize so it’s important to make sure all the sugar is in the bottom of the pan mixed with the water.

Place the lid on the pan and put over high heat. Having the lid on during the first few minutes of boiling creates condensation that further helps to wash away any sugar that may be left on the sides of the pan. After 5 minutes remove the lid and let the caramel continue to boil until it reaches 300 degrees F. If some of the caramel starts to color you can gently swirl the pot to combine.

Add the cream, butter and vanilla seeds once it has reached 300 degrees F and then continue to cook until the caramel reaches 248 degrees F. At that point remove the pan from the heat and pour into the prepared 9x13 pan.

Let the caramel cool for 10 minutes before gently laying the cookie bases down in four rows of six. Continue to let the caramel cool for 40 minutes before thoroughly chilling in the fridge for an additional 40 minutes or until the caramel is firm enough to cut.

Once completely chilled, carefully remove the caramel and cookie bases from the pan and cut along the cookies to create 24 caramel topped bars.

Prepare the chocolate coating by melting the milk chocolate in the microwave or in a bain marie on the stove then stir in the oil.

Dip the bars into the chocolate with the help of a fork and move to a parchment lined sheet tray.

Place the sheet tray in the fridge once all the bars have been dipped. Keep the bars in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator for three weeks or in the freezer for two months.

Let the bars sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Twix Tart

Serves 8 to 10

1/2 recipe Twix base

1 recipe Twix caramel

4 ounces / 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

4 ounces / 1/2 cup heavy cream

Flake salt (or vanilla salt!)

Preheat your oven to 350°F

Roll the dough out to 1/4 - inch thick. Carefully roll up the dough around the rolling pin then unfurl it over the tart pan. Press the dough into the pan and bake until the edges are golden, about 20 minutes.

Let the tart shell cool while you prepare the caramel.

Cool the caramel for about 10 minutes until slightly thickened before pouring into the tart shell.

Refrigerate until firm, about 10 minutes.

Prepare the chocolate glaze. Warm the cream on the stove or in the microwave. Add the chocolate, let it sit for one minute then whisk to combine.

Pour the glaze over the firm caramel then use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate evenly. Top with flake salt.

Refrigerate until firm.

Apparently it hit me. Last week I was urging Summer to stay and for the cool days of Fall to be a distant reality.  Then I started to see Gravensteins pop up along country roads in farm stands that are only attended by a black box with the words, “honor system” painted on the front.

Shortly after that there was pie. The best I’ve made. The warmth of the oven still offensive as the Summer heat lingers.

Then this morning I woke up to a comforting gray sky (as well as a cold which definitely marks the new season) and I finally admitted that I am ready and eager for the changing season.

It could have also been these caramel covered pears and apples that brought me into the Fall mood. The scent of sweet honey bubbling on the stove wafting through the kitchen carrying with it an exotic, floral smell as freshly ground cardamom was tossed in. The kids were eager to get involved in the dipping process and even more eager to help with the eating of our freshly dipped fruit. Such helpful little kidlets.

We did manage to save a few and if you are lucky enough to be in Seattle area you can get your hands on these caramel covered beauties by going to SAVOUR in Ballard. My dear friend, Julie, has started a great program where each week in September a local blogger features a homemade treat that can be purchased at the store. I adore this idea as it is so much fun to provide an opportunity for some of you to actually eat the food you are seeing and reading about.

For those of you who are not in Seattle, I apologize for being a tease. Hopefully, someday we will meet and I will happen to have one of these caramel pears in my purse. Until then I urge you to make these yourself, then open your arms widely and embrace the coming season.

You will also need a thermometer and popscicle or lollipop sticks.

Fill your sink or a large bowl with a couple inches of ice water. This will be used to quickly stop the caramel from cooking once it’s reached the desired temperature.

In a large sauce pan (the caramel bubbles up so make sure the pot is much larger than the quantity of the ingredients) heat the cream and salt to a simmer. Once small bubbles appear stir in the honey and ground cardamom. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally to avoid scorching on the sides or bottoms of the pan.

Continue to cook until the temperature reaches 255-260*F. If not cooked enough the caramel will be too soft and run off the fruit. If cooked too long the caramel will be difficult to chew.

*Tips for Success*

After making these several times now I’ve learned a few things that I want to reiterate so you will have success.

– Boil caramel until it reaches 260*. This will produce a firmer caramel that will better adhere to the apples or pears.

– Use firm pears. If they are too ripe the stick will slide right out.

– Wait to dip the fruit until the caramel is nearly cool. It will be quite thick and sticky but it helps to prevent the caramel from sliding right off.

– Use fruit that is not waxed.

– Chill the fruit before dipping. This sets the caramel immediately. You could also dip then refrigerate.

– Let the excess caramel drip off for at least one minute before dipping into the nuts.

Delivered by FeedBurner

Honey Cardamom Caramel for apples or pears

enough for 8-10 small/medium apples or pears.

Choose apples/pears that are unwaxed as that will help the caramel to adhere.

1 ½ cups heavy cream

1 ½ cups + 1 tablespoon mild honey, such as clover

¾ teaspoon salt, kosher

3 cardamom pods, cracked and seeds ground or ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

1 cup toasted, roughly ground hazelnuts

I started making homemade pasta when I was eight. My parents kindly complimenting my bowls of mush while eating soppy noodles with much oohing and ahhing. I’ve since improved my pasta making skills.

The moment I realized I could make my own butter I was out of my seat and shaking a jar of cream.  As time allows I make my own puff pastry, soft cheeses, mayonnaise, marshmallows, dressings, etc. And even though our garden is quite meager, I get giddy when I am able to feed my family from the tiny seeds I planted just weeks prior.

As we are so often surrounded by pre-made products I am incredibly satisfied when I am able to fulfill a need using raw materials readily found in my kitchen. Most often it is things like pulling warm homemade bread out of the oven or sewing an airy summer dress for my daughter that calls upon these emotions and connects me to the generations prior for which this was their normal.

For some reason it is those classic childhood flavors in the form of sugary candy that I rarely think to recreate at home. I find such mystery in their creation, quite possibly because I don’t recognize a single ingredient found on the back of their colorful exterior. I, in a more-frequent-than-should-be moment, enjoy the familiarity of their flavor and move on never stopping for a moment to think, I could make this. In fact it could quite possibly even be better.

Their cloyingly sweet flavors could be made less harsh through the use of less refined ingredients. The familiar waxy melt of their chocolate that contains little to none of the ingredients found in those football shaped cacao pods could be replaced with bittersweet chocolate that puddles and melts against the heat of the tongue.

Such a revelation occurred when I happened upon a recipe for homemade peanut butter finger candy. As a child I adored the odd orange candy that shattered under the weight of my young, eager bite. Strangely enough I don’t think I realized that peanut butter was the main ingredient for this candy until recently. In my young mind it was just something crunchy, sweet, and there was chocolate – no further thinking needed. Even more alluring was the memory of these candies crushed into bits and stirred into creamy vanilla flavored soft serve. Yes, that’s right – a Butterfinger blizzard. So cold it makes your head hurt but so satisfying that you don’t care.

The trick in recreating flavors you’ve enjoyed all throughout your life is getting them to satisfy you in the same way they did in your memory. You want them to be better than the store-bought version but not so much so that they no longer resemble what you were originally trying to create. It’s a fine balance and I am thrilled to report that this recipe has achieved such convenient-store-candy-recreating success. And you must, for the love of a Blizzard, stir these sugary crumbs into ice cream.

Continue for the recipe..

Homemade Peanut Butter Finger Candy

adapted from "The Ultimate Candy Book" by Bruce Weinstein

Candy making can be intimidating but the result is well worth the headache. A candy thermometer is crucial in beginning to make candy. Pull the sugar as soon as it reaches 290* and work quickly. Be so very careful when working with hot sugar as its burn hurts more than any other. Have I scared you? NO? Good. Yes? Sorry. Again, I assure you with a little patience and persistence you will soon have homemade butter fingers. Now get going.

*In the comments someone just asked a great question. "What candy thermometer do you recommend?" I use the Taylor Commercial Waterproof Digital Thermometer. I like the easy to read digital face. It does not, however, clip to the side. If you do it will melt - speaking from experience. But I've made candy so often I can tell when the sugar is getting close to done, then I insert the thermometer just to be sure. This thermometer measures quickly and again it's easy to read so you don't have to hold it there forever. The classic Candy & Deep Fry Thermometer is nice because it can stick to the side of the pan but I find it hard to read accurately and in candy making, accuracy is very critical.

1 cup smooth peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt (kosher, fleur de sel, Maldon)

½ vanilla bean, seeds removed (optional)

1 cup sugar

⅓ cup light corn syrup

½ cup water

¾ cup chopped bittersweet chocolate (chocolate chips are fine too)

Butter an 8-inch square pan then set aside. In a small, microwave-safe bowl (if you don’t have a microwave you can use a double boiler) combine the peanut butter, vanilla, and salt. Set that aside.

In a very clean medium saucepan combine the vanilla seeds (if using), sugar, corn syrup and water. Using clean hands combine those ingredients and remove any grains of sugar left on the sides of the pan with your fingers and a bit more water. I use my hands for this because I can be certain to feel if any gritty grains remain on the side and the sugar in the bottom of the pan is lump-free. You may also use a pastry brush to wet down the sides of the pan if you prefer.

On medium-high heat cook the sugar until it reaches 290*, just under hard crack. While the sugar cooks warm the peanut butter mixture in the microwave for 30 seconds. Keep warm. Once the sugar has reached 290* quickly add the peanut butter mixture and stir to combine. The mixture thickens quickly so once combined immediately put the mixture in the buttered pan. Let cool for about 7 minutes on a wire rack. While it is still warm carefully scatter your chocolate on top. Let it sit for a couple of minutes. Using an offset spatula spread the chocolate evening over the peanut butter candy. Place in the fridge to set for about 30 minutes.

Once the candy has set run a knife or the edge of an offset spatula around the edge of the pan then invert. The candy should pop out but if it doesn’t insert your knife into the corner and pry it up until it pops out.

Cut the candy into desired shapes. I like to keep my stash in a ziploc bag in the freezer. I love the texture of this candy when it’s frozen and then it’s always ready to be added to vanilla ice cream.

Peanut Butter Finger Ice Cream

serves 2, generously

2 cups vanilla ice cream

⅓ cup (more is okay too) homemade peanut butter candy pieces

Place your candy in a ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to break into smaller pieces. They don’t need to be uniform, in fact it’s better if they aren’t.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment add the ice cream and mix until it is the texture of soft serve. Add the candy pieces and mix just to combine. Serve immediately.

I will be attending three Thanksgiving dinners this year. I will be wearing stretchy pants at each meal (and probably a cute little dress to cover up the fact that I’m wearing stretchy pants).

It may surprise you to know that I don’t do a lot of cooking on Thanksgiving. It’s not that I don’t want to it’s just that I have so many wonderful cooks in my life that equally enjoy preparing a Thanksgiving feast. Who am I to spoil their fun?

So instead I thought I’d bring the cooks a gift in the form of candy. While they’re mashing the potatoes and basting the bird they’ll need a bit of sustenance in the form of toffee and chocolate.

I found this recipe for “Mock Almond Crunch” in a candy making book from the 70’s with pieces of pastel nougat and divinity adorning the cover. Candy making can be an intimidating business, with it’s thermometers, pots of molten bubbling sugar and the continuous fear of crystallization. The scariest part about this recipe is having these candies lying around the house and resisting the urge to eat every piece.

The season of Holiday parties and gatherings is upon us. I like to keep simple, homemade gifts like these on hand for a thoughtful hostess gift. This batch makes plenty so whatever I don’t give right away I have stashed in an airtight bag in the freezer. That way I have a gift at the ready and out of sight out of mind – which means I won’t be eating candy all day long (in theory).

Mock Almond Crunch

adapted from “Homemade Candy from the food editors of Farm Journal”

8 whole graham crackers

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup + 2 T butter

1/4 teaspoon Fleur de Sel, Maldon, Vanilla salt – or some other fine finishing salt

3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (Ghirardelli 60%)

Lightly butter a 10×10 baking dish. Pre-heat your oven to 325*.

Arrange the graham crackers on the bottom of the dish and sprinkle the toasted almonds on top. Set aside.

In a medium sauce pan melt the butter and brown sugar and boil for 3 minutes. Pour sugar mixture over the crackers and almonds in a thin even layer. Sprinkle with salt.

Place dish in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the toffee layer is bubbling all over.

Remove from the oven. When the bubbles have subsided sprinkle on the chocolate chips and let the residual heat melt them. With an offset spatula smooth the chocolate layer over the entire surface.

While still warm score the candy with a sharp knife cutting them into your desired shape and size.

Place in the freezer for 10 minutes to set the chocolate. Remove from pan and cut along the scored markings.

Serve immediately or can be sealed in an airtight container for up to one week. Can also be frozen for up to one month.

I am such a sucker for conventional products that I realize can be easily made myself. A few examples to make my point… I make my own laundry soap and dishwashing detergent. And of course you all remember the marshmallows and the kettle corn. Pancakes, waffles, scones, soups, muffins, cakes and cookies do not usually appear in box, can, log or bag form before they hit our hungry mouths.

My sister-in-law is even more diligent about making many of her own food and household items. Her reasoning? Budget. Mine? I love the feeling of being self-sufficient. I am a do-er and whatever I can do for myself without having to depend on something or someone makes me feel strong, independent and like the women who appears in that classic illustration where she is showing off her less than lady-like biceps and telling the world she is in control and can do it herself.

As do many strong personality traits this can be a great asset but it can also be my downfall. Somehow I manage to bury myself in work, life, kids, house and carry all that weight on my shoulders refusing to ask for help. Or when I do it is often late in the process giving me plenty of time to feel guilty, tired, worn down and thinking that I am the only woman in the world who simply can not manage to do it all myself.  I know this isn’t a unique problem I have. More and more I am realizing that it is a woman thing. We want to do all and be all to everybody.

I don’t really know how I got on this tangent that seeks to uncover the truth that lies in most women. I simply wanted to tell you more about this fantastic recipe. Seriously, just the other day I was admiring the deliciousness that is Junior Mints. As Gabe and I sat in the movie theater watching “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (great movie by the way), eating our chocolate covered mints that we risked our lives to smuggle in. I savored the harmony that is chocolate and mint. The creamy chocolate melts away on your tongue revealing a refreshing mint filled interior leaving your mouth feeling as if you have just brushed your teeth (except that you haven’t and you really should after you consume these because they are laden with sugar, your dentist should thank me). On this occasion we ate them straight from the box, however I enjoy them the most straight from the freezer.

On New Year’s Eve I created a dessert smorgasboard for a room full of lucky diners. Apple sorbet with a meringe cap, a banana chocolate soufflee with a warm chocolate sauce and a cookie plate filled with Macarons, honey-spiced nuts, caramels and Peppermint Patties.

Like most things you make from scratch these ones tasted better than their convential cousins. I used Valrhona 70% chocolate to enrobe the creamy interior creating a slightly less sweet confection. The tempered dark chocolate snapped flawlessly under the weight of my teeth giving way to the aroma of mint.

I am telling you, these little candies are a sure way of impressing your friends and neighbors. People are so fascinated by the thought of being able to make something that we have so grown accostumed to seeing in a shiny package at the grocery store.

I hope you will find it in your hearts to forgive me for I do not have an image to show you the beauty that little treats hold. Let this be more encouragement to make this recipe as they were so delicious there was not a single one left to photograph My sweet husband, Gabe, found an image. It may not be the prettiest but this was the only photo taken before they were devoured.

I know I showed you this recipe but I actually used an adapted version of one I found on epicurious.com.

Peppermint Patties

from epicurious.com

• 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar (less than 1 pound), divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 1/2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
• 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening (preferably trans-fat-free)
• 10 ounces 70%-cacao bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (Valrhona, Guanaja)

• Equipment: a 1-inch round cookie cutter; a digital instant-read thermometer

Filling:
Beat 2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar with corn syrup, water, peppermint extract, shortening, and salt using an electric mixer (with paddle attachment if using a stand mixer) at medium speed until just combined. Knead on a work surface dusted with remaining 1/4 cup confectioners sugar until smooth. Roll out between sheets of parchment paper on a large baking sheet into a 7- to 8-inch round (less than 1/4 inch thick). Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Remove top sheet of paper and sprinkle round with confectioners sugar. Replace top sheet, then flip round over and repeat sprinkling on other side.

Cut out as many rounds as possible with cutter, transferring to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until firm, at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, gather scraps, reroll, and freeze, then cut out more rounds, freezing them.

Temper chocolate and coat filling: (Here is another great tutorial for tempering chocolate – Don’t be scared just try it).
Melt three fourths of chocolate in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Remove bowl from pan and add remaining chocolate, stirring until smooth. Cool until thermometer inserted at least 1/2 inch into chocolate registers 80°F.

Return water in pan to a boil and remove from heat. Set bowl with cooled chocolate over pan and reheat, stirring, until thermometer registers 88 to 91°F. Remove bowl from pan.

Balance 1 peppermint round on a fork and submerge in melted chocolate, letting excess drip off and scraping back of fork against rim of bowl if necessary, then return patty to sheet. Coat remaining rounds, rewarming chocolate to 88 to 91°F as necessary. Let patties stand until chocolate is set, about 1 hour.

Cooks’ note: Patties keep, layered between sheets of parchment in an airtight container, chilled, 1 month. Bring to room temperature before serving.

In all honesty this past week was one of the hardest weeks our little family has had. First I was sick and I am not talking about *cough* *cough* *sniffle* sick. It was more horrific than that, but I will spare you the details. Then poor little Baron came down with it. Gabe watched in horror fearing the inevitable, mistaking every off feeling in his body as “the sickness” as we lovingly refer to it as. It eventually hit him too. Then came the snow which has yet to cease. Now the snow isn’t really a bad thing, in fact it makes the view from out of our windows quite lovely. It is however very cold which is fine if you have a furnace, we did until it decided to stop working (and is still not working). Cold, sick and confined to our little home.

Things could be a lot worse and this time of year is a great time to be reminded of all that we are blessed with. A little stomach bug sure makes you appreciate the good health we do have 90% of the time. And a loving family who would endure the treacherous roads to come and try to fix our heating issues.

I absolutely LOVE this time of the year. Everything about it. The generosity, the cold, the gifts, the joy, the baby and of course the hours and hours spent baking sugary treats for loved ones. Sadly with all that happened this past week my hours of baking have been cut short but I have had some time to peruse some of the baking that is going on around the Internet. Here is a compilation of all the treats that I would have love to bake this year – because really it’s the thought that counts? If I hurry maybe I’ll have some time to in the few short days before Christmas.

Fleur de Sel Caramels (I have tried these and they are delicious!! A little soft but full of yummy flavor…. I would suggest caramelizing the sugar to a deep amber color but don’t burn it! )

Chocolate Caramels (These are also FANTASTIC!)

Peppermint Patties (Seriously?! yum.)

Peppermint Bark (I’m not a big white chocolate fan but this looks tasty!)

Stained Glass Cookies (a craft you can eat)

Saltine Toffee with Chocolate and Almonds (since we have a lot of saltine crackers around these days)

Peppermint Meringues (so cute… do you notice I really like peppermint things?)

Sugar Crusted Chocolate Cookies (sugar, good. chocolate, good.)

Oliebollen (these a traditional dutch favorite. Little fried donuts studded with raisins and apples… these make me proud to be Dutch)

Today I found myself pursuing the cold. I didn’t bundle up on our walk to the park after dinner. I did not turn up the heat when I got home. I removed my layers down to a t-shirt and procrastinated putting on my slippers just so that my chill could be cured from the warmth of a cup of hot cocoa topped with homemade marshmallows. I remained in a continuous slightly chilled state until I tucked my sweet boys in bed, so that my enjoyment of my warm treat would be uninterrupted.  From there I placed a saucepan on the stove, filled it with milk, brought it to a boil, turned off the heat and added several pieces of dark chocolate. I poured this luxurious concoction into a large mug then topped with two pillowy puffs of whipped vanilla bean studded heaven.

For moments like these I not only welcome the cold, I invite it in like a long lost friend because nothing is more satisfying to remove a chill then with a steaming mug of rich hot cocoa and sweet vanilla scented homemade marshmallows. Now if only I had a fireplace to curl up to.
If you have never met the deliciousness that is a homemade marshmallow I not only encourage you I URGE you to stop what you are doing and whip up a batch. The process is simple. Don’t let the cooking of sugar scare you off – just don’t burn yourself because that would definitely hinder your enjoyment of this intoxicating treat.

Marshmallows

Ingredients
adapted from Alton Brown

3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 cups cold water, divided
12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups
1 cup light corn syrup (or glucose)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 vanilla bean, seeds removed
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
Nonstick spray

Method

Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Have the whisk attachment standing by.In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.

Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Add the vanilla seeds. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes.  While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans as follows.

Combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Line a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with aluminum then spray with pan spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel or sharp knife dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. (I suggest doubling the recipe - yes, they are that good.)