Daring Baker July`s Challenge: Mallows

Mallows (Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies)

Today is the Daring Baker`s July Challenge reveal date and yes I am making the Mallows (Chocolate covered marshmallow cookies), photographing and writing about them all today. It is very last minute, but upon returning from our family vacation this past Saturday in the wee hours of the morn I had tons to unpack, a mountain of laundry and a lot to catch up on. But I am abandoning all other responsibilities today to meet the challenge! I would like to say a special thanks to Future Shop for fixing my camera in time. Phew!

Mallow before dipping

So here goes...

The July Daring Baker's 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.

Regular and Mocha Mallows before dipping

I made the recipe as is but divided the marshmallow in half and added a tablespoon of instant espresso to one of the halves. Once I had piped out the coffee flavored marshmallow I placed a coffee bean on top before dipping. The marshmallow was pretty sturdy stuff and these cookies where easy to dip (my one worry). I liked the sutler coffee flavour that resulted and think the Mocha Mallows make a nice adult cookie. I especially enjoyed the pleasant crack of biting into a roasted coffee bean. I must say that the cookie base on its own is so so and I would try these again with another short bread recipe.

I have been meaning to make home made marshmallows for a while now and will use the recipe to make some marshmallows that my son can eat and hopefully roast, as store bought marshmallows contain artificial coloring.

All in all a good baking experience.

Unfortunately I completely disregarded the Milan cookies because of time.

Mocha Mallows

Recipe:

Mallows
Recipe courtesy Gale Gand from Food Network Website

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 12 tablespoons butter
• 3 eggs, whisked together
• Homemade marshmallows, recipe follows
• Chocolate glaze, recipe follows

Directions

Blend the dry ingredients in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until sandy. Add the eggs and mix to combine. Form the dough into a disk, wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. When ready to bake, grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter to cut out small rounds of dough, 1 to 1 1/2 inches. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake until light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

Pipe a ?kiss? of marshmallow onto each cookie. Let set at room temperature for 2 hours.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment or a nonstick baking mat. One at a time, gently drop the marshmallow-topped cookies into the hot chocolate. Lift out with a fork and let excess chocolate drip back into the bowl. 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 sugar
• 1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Homemade Marshmallows: Combine the water, corn syrup, and sugar in a saucepan, bring to a boil until ?soft-ball? stage, or 235 degrees on a candy thermometer. Meanwhile, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let dissolve. Remove the syrup from the heat, add the gelatin, and mix. Whip the whites until soft peaks form and pour the syrup into the whites. Add the vanilla and continue whipping until stiff. Transfer to a pastry bag.

Chocolate glaze:

• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 2 ounces cocoa butter or vegetable oil

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