By: Susan Joy
I’m thinking you want healthy treat options for your family this Easter. There’s no need to miss out on Easter traditions when healthy marshmallow bunnies and chickens can be made with additive free ingredients and coated in homemade or dairy-free organic chocolate. This recipe is vanilla flavoured, see my Pink Marshmallow recipe to make both colours.
Serves: 8 – 10 shapes | Prep Time: 00:30 | Cooking Time: 00:00 * Plus freezer time
Ingredients
1 cup/250ml filtered water, divided
1/2 cup maple syrup, 100%
1/4 cup honey (unprocessed)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (organic), organic
1/4 tsp pink Himalayan salt, or sea salt
3 Tbsp (20ml Aust. tablespoon) gelatin, unflavoured for setting
arrowroot flour, for dusting cookie cutters
Homemade chocolate or 250g dark chocolate (organic), for coating marshmallow shapes
Directions
Note: you will need Easter cookie cutters to cut out your marshmallow shapes.
Line a large 33 x 22cm rectangle baking tin with baking paper, you want the marshmallow no higher than 1.5 – 2 cm, or lower than the sides of your cookie cutters. (Add a little oil to the base and sides to help the paper stick to the tin).
Add 1/2 cup of filtered water, maple syrup and honey to a small saucepan. Heat on medium until the mixture is pipping hot, remove just before it starts to bubble (approx. 4 – 5 mins). Add the vanilla and salt, stir to dissolve the salt.
Add the second 1/2 cup of filtered water to a large glass or stainless steel mixing bowl with high sides. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and allow to bloom (it will soften and swell within 2 – 3 minutes). If you are also making pink shapes, see Pink Marshmallow recipe for colour and flavour additions.
Beat the firm gelatin mixture on low using a hand-held electric beater or a stand mixer for 3 – 4 seconds to break up the mixture (I use a hand-held electric beater). Pour in approximately 2 tablespoons of the heated sweet mixture and continue beating to dissolve the gelatin. Start pouring in the remaining heated mixture, roughly 1 tablespoon at a time while you beat on medium, have all the sweet mixture beaten in within approximately 2 minutes.
Increase speed to high and beat for 6 – 7 minutes until the marshmallow is thick and fluffy, you should be able to see ripples on the surface made by the beaters.
Pour without delay into the lined tin, as it sets quickly. Place into the fridge uncovered for 60 minutes to set firm all the way through (but can be left longer or even overnight).
Use the baking paper to remove the slab of marshmallow from the tin and place it on a large chopping board. Add a little arrowroot flour to a saucer, use a pastry brush to dust the inside and outside of the cutting edges of the cookie cutters with arrowroot (this needs to be done before each cut to prevent sticking). Place cut shapes onto a lined cookie tray. Place the tray into the freezer for 30 – 40 minutes before coating with chocolate, or the shapes can be left in the fridge until you are ready to coat them the next day but don’t skip the freezer step before coating in chocolate (the heat of the chocolate can melt the marshmallow a little).
Make my homemade Chocolate recipe without the nuts, seeds and berries or melt organic dark chocolate in a double saucepan (the marshmallow can thicken the chocolate, I find it easier to only do a few at a time and start again with fresh chocolate). Have a second tray lined ready to place the coated shapes on.
Pour some homemade chocolate mixture from the blender into a small bowl (recipe here) or some of the melted store bought chocolate. Remove one shape from the freezer and use 2 forks to assist in turning the marshmallow over to coat. Sit the flat base on a fork to allow excess chocolate to drip off, place on the lined tray (don’t allow to sit too long in the warm chocolate). Remove the next shape from the freezer and repeat. Use a clean bowl to add more chocolate when needed and continue to coat as above. Place tray in the fridge or freezer to set the chocolate. (I remelt the left over thicken chocolate and add a few off cuts from the marshmallow shapes with nuts to make chocolate clusters).
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, if making ahead they can be frozen (the marshmallow doesn’t freeze firm).
It’s nice to make a mix of chocolate coated and plain marshmallow shapes. I’ve made white and pink for this Easter and coated some in dark and milk chocolate to suit all ages (I added 1 tablespoon of coconut cream and reduced the cacao in my homemade chocolate for my grandchildren and they are stored safe in the freezer for now).
Article supplied with thanks to The JOYful Table.
About the Author: Susan Joy is author of The JOYful Table cookbook containing gluten & grain free, and Paleo inspired recipes for good health and well being.