Chocolate Covered Beer Marshmallows
Happy New Year! Am I still allowed to say that even though we are halfway through January? Halfway. through. January. This is crazy. Time needs to slow down. It’s 2013. How did that happen? Where did 2012 go?
My posts are becoming more and more scarce as the days go by. Although I have been in the kitchen cooking, I haven’t had time to sit down and blog. Blame it on being the mother of an almost 4 month old little girl (4 month old! Again, time needs to slow down). I’m not really sure how all these mom bloggers out there with small babies at home have time to create and blog. They must have super powers I wasn’t told about. Even though Layla is a pretty easy baby, I still don’t have the time for much really. And, when she does sleep, I choose a hot shower over blog writing. Sorry. Before Layla was born, I was warned that a little thing like a shower would be an old past time. I laughed. But, I was wrong. Who would have known how much one can come to appreciate a shower this much? Seriously.
Appreciation for showers, take out, and friends. Friends that are supportive and helpful. Ones that come over and watch the baby so you can shower. Friends that can still make you laugh when you haven’t slept, have clothes full of spit up and a house that hasn’t been dusted in days. Friends who don’t mind having a baby crash brunch dates and dinner parties. Friends that have become family when yours is halfway across the globe. And, when one of these friends has a birthday, the best way to show your appreciation is with something homemade and from the heart. Like marshmallows.
I’m totally over the whole cupcake craze. Though the little mini cakes are still delicious and lets face it, much more convenient than a whole cake, I’m ready for the trend to be finished. It’s time for cupcakes to turn over their reigning title as the dessert choice and make room for sweets that are a bit more original. Like artisan marshmallows.
Marshmallows may be a bit more tricky to make, but once you have mastered the basic recipe for them, the possibilities for flavors and shapes are limitless. My first go at marshmallows was awhile ago when I made homemade s’mores. Since then I have made maple bacon marshmallows and cinnamon marshmallows. And, when my best friend and fellow blogger Katherine‘s husband celebrated his birthday last month I combined his love of beer and chocolate into these, chocolate covered beer marshmallows.
At first the thought of a marshmallow flavored with beer, covered in chocolate and topped with crushed pretzels and sea salt, may sound like a strange combination. However, don’t be so quick to rule out this adult take on a childhood campfire favorite.
Homemade marshmallows aren't only delicious but super easy to make. Spiked with a dark stout, covered in chocolate and topped with crushed pretzels they bring the time honored pub classic into a delicious treat. The perfect grown up marshmallow.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
- 3 packets unflavored gelatin
- 1 cup Guinness, divided
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup corn syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 8 ounces dark chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Crushed pretzels for garnish
- Coarse salt for garnish
Instructions
- Open beer and allow to go completely flat, about an hour. To speed up the flattening time you can whisk beer in a mixing bowl to remove bubbles.
- Lightly grease bottom and sides of a loaf pan and dust bottom and sides with some confectioners sugar.
- In a large mixing bowl sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup beer, and set aside to soften.
- In a saucepan heat sugar, corn syrup, 1/2 beer, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to medium and bring mixture to a boil. Cook WITHOUT STIRRING! until a candy thermometer registers 245F.
- Remove pot from heat and pour mixture over the gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. With an electric mixer beat mixture on high speed until mixture is nearly tripled in volume, thick and a pale white, about 10-12 minutes.
- In separate mixing bowl with beat egg whites with an electric mixer until they hold stiff peaks.
- Add egg whites and vanilla into sugar mixture and beat until just combined.
- Pour mixture into loaf pan and sift some confectioners sugar evenly over top.
- Chill marshmallow, uncovered, until firm, at least four hours.
- When marshmallows are set, heat chocolate and oil over medium heat in a double boiler until melted. Set aside to cool.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Turn marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into even squares.
- Dip marshmallows in melted chocolate and place on parchment paper. Top with crushed pretzels and salt.
- Chill marshmallows until chocolate has hardened.
Notes
Make sure to use a dark beer such as Guinness for a rich sweet flavored marshmallow, as a lighter beer may result in a bitter taste.
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I would never have thought to use beer with marshmallows!
I remember how scarce my own time was when my son was a baby,so nice of you to do a post here:)
And happy new year to you too;D
What a delicious marshmallow recipe my friend it looks delicious – and with your daughter, I’m sure 2013 will be brilliant
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I just stumbled apon this on food gawker while getting my bub off to sleep. (she is the youngest of 3).
It has made my day, I looked for hours online for a beer marshmellow recipe last November and decided to create my own because I wasn’t happy with any of them! I ended up dipping them in dark chocolate and salted peanuts. but there wasn’t a recipe it was just an idea that everyone thought was a little crazy!
I sold them at my local markets to raise money for Movember, & they were a huge hit. My recipe has 1/2 the ingredients and is far simpler, whitch is handy in these baby juggling days
Beer and marshmallow….What an unique marshmallow recipe!
ooooh! Those marshmallows look like the perfect treat! Well, I gotta say, it IS hard finding time to blog! Even without a kid, I struggle to find time to edit my pictures, blog out my recipes and other contents!!! So I don’t blame you. And I admire those who can find the time and dedication to blog every day!
These treats totally caught my attention! I am already thinking of a couple of friends who would really appreciate them. What a thoughtful sweet for you to make! You are bringing back memories of when my boys were babies…getting a shower and a load of laundry done was a hugely successful day. I’m happy to hear you have such a supportive community. Happy 2013 to you!
This recipe is my perfect idea of naughty and nice! I just said Happy New Year to the blogosphere myself and I’m writing my first 2013 post even later than you, haha. Can’t believe your baby’s now 4 months old! Where did the time go??
Hi Beth! I feel your pain about the showers…showers have quickly become on of my favorite indulgences during motherhood. Sometimes if I have a really good baby watcher (the hubs), I’ll shower for 15-20 minutes…Heaven! Yup, I’ll take that over blogging any day!
What a unique and delicious recipe! I have yet to make homemade marshmallows but really want to do it one of these days. I may give yours a try, especially considering how much we love beer in our house and how little we actually get to drink it.
Hope you are well!