Monday, July 27, 2009

The Daring Baker Challenge…I made Mallows!!!

I did it!  Once again I managed to pull it off in the 11th hour.  I am in good company though as I am sure that my buddy @kellypea of Sass & Veracity is doing the same.  My other good buddy @vindee of Passionate About Baking has been spurring me on all month to no avail so she will be pleased to see them finally finished!!!

The July Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network.

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This was such a perfect challenge for the crazy summer months!  Thanks so much Nicole for not weighing us down with some insurmountable task when we are all so busy trying to have some fun!!!  I have also started working a new part-time job and with the training schedule and just trying to figure out what I am doing everything is a but more hectic…

For this months challenge we were allowed to choose between the two cookies or to make them both.  I choose to make the Mallows and skip the Milan Cookies mainly because I ran out of chocolate and also that we did not need that many cookies in the house!!!  I did take the easy way out and used store bought marshmallows and I am a little disappointed in myself but I promised myself and the girls that I will try to make marshmallows at some later date when life isn't quite so complicated!

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Mallows(Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies) Recipe courtesy Gale Gand, from Food Network website

Prep Time: 10 min
Inactive Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Serves: about 2 dozen cookies

• 3 cups (375grams/13.23oz) all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (112.5grams/3.97oz) white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 12 tablespoons (170grams/ 6 oz) unsalted butter
• 3 eggs, whisked together
• Homemade marshmallows, recipe follows
• Chocolate glaze, recipe follows

1. In a mixer with the paddle attachment, blend the dry ingredients.
2. On low speed, add the butter and mix until sandy.
3. Add the eggs and mix until combine.
4. Form the dough into a disk, wrap with clingfilm or parchment and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
5. When ready to bake, grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
7. Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness, on a lightly floured surface. Use a 1 to 1 1/2 inches cookie cutter to cut out small rounds of dough.
8. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool to room temperature.
9. Pipe a “kiss” of marshmallow onto each cookie. Let set at room temperature for 2 hours.
10. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or silicon mat.
11. One at a time, gently drop the marshmallow-topped cookies into the hot chocolate glaze.
12. Lift out with a fork and let excess chocolate drip back into the bowl.
13. Place on the prepared pan and let set at room temperature until the coating is firm, about 1 to 2 hours.

Note: if you don’t want to make your own marshmallows, you can cut a large marshmallow in half and place on the cookie base. Heat in a preheated 350-degree oven to slump the marshmallow slightly, it will expand and brown a little. Let cool, then proceed with the chocolate dipping.

Homemade marshmallows:
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 3/4 cup (168.76 grams/5.95oz) sugar
• 1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 egg whites , room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. In a saucepan, combine the water, corn syrup, and sugar, bring to a boil until “soft-ball” stage, or 235 degrees on a candy thermometer.
2. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let dissolve.
3. Remove the syrup from the heat, add the gelatin, and mix.
4. Whip the whites until soft peaks form and pour the syrup into the whites.
5. Add the vanilla and continue whipping until stiff.
6. Transfer to a pastry bag.

Chocolate glaze:
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 2 ounces cocoa butter or vegetable oil

1. Melt the 2 ingredients together in the top of a double boiler or a bowl set over barely simmering water.

As Always…

Happy Entertaining!!!

Judy
www.nofearentertaining.com

20 comments:

Deeba PAB said...

GO GIRL GO...of course I'm please as punch & spurring is second nature to moi now, thanks to twitter! Well done...I knew you'd do it Judy, & in style. Those are some good looking mallows. Gotta check KP's blog too. Sorry am I talking too loudly? Meant to creep in past midnight! ♥♥♥

Sandy Smith said...

Gorgeous, as always, Judy!!

Andrea Meyers said...

Those look so delicious! Nicely done! I made the Milans but skipped these for the same reason as you--didn't need all those cookies!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

Mallows are a childhood favourite of mine. I couls eat an entire bag at one sitting.

Dharm said...

Your mallows looks lovely! Who cares if the marshies were store bought, look how delicious those cookies look and that chocolate covering is just Yummmmmy!! bring some over here gal!

Aparna Balasubramanian said...

Your mallow cookies looks so pretty. Difficult to believe they were a last minute effort.
The kids must have loved them?

Lisa said...

I cannot believe you whipped these up at the last minute..they look like you labored for hours, but that's the best, isn't it? I love the sprinkly bits on top as decor..so pretty!

Audax said...

What wonderful looking mallows and I love the coloured treats on top of them very pretty and O so cute. Great 11th hour effort. And do try to make marshmallows with the kids it is O so much fun and even if it doesn't work out you can aleays make marshmallow fluff sandwiches so either way it's a win. Lovely work. Cheers from Audax in Australia

Julie (Willow Bird Baking) said...

Yum, they look great!

Jo said...

Great job on your challenge and your mallows look wonderful. I too used heart sprinkles on some of mine.

glamah16 said...

The girls will lovemaking their own marshmallows!

Bob said...

I love that your last minute stuff looks better than the stuff I plan carefully. Heh. I've been wanting to make homemade marshmallows for ages, I really need to get on that...

Anna said...

Great looking mallows :) LoVe them!

kellypea said...

Always enjoy the company I'm in when this particular 11th hour arrives monthly ; ) We had an evening picnic to go to last night (which is where my mallows were headed...) and so I got them made, but am just now writing the post. Nice job, Judy. I swear maybe we could get organized at some point? Nahhhhh....that would be SO boring, right ; )

Elle said...

Very pretty cookies...and you get extra points because summer is so busy and you pleased your girls with cookies, too!

Peter M said...

You did!!! They look just like the ones at the market but better...all girly decorated and stuff. I want.

Helene said...

You know we are all going to bug you to make homemade marshmallow from now on!!

Glad you did it! Enjoyed the whole
"coming together" of the post on Twitter!

Ethan said...

Great looking cookies - fun decorations! Good luck with the new job.

Lauren said...

Gorgeous job! Your cookies look amazing - I love the toppings =D.

Thistlemoon said...

They look great! Aren't homemade marsmallows so much fun to make?