Mexican Hot Chocolate Marshmallows

If you've never made homemade marshmallows before, they seem like a silly, superfluous thing to bother making yourself. But, I promise you the end result is worth it. Silky soft and literally melt-in-your-mouth, the texture of these little clouds far exceeds that of the spongey, lifeless store-bought version. These mallows flavored with warm cinnamon and spicy cayenne and finished with a drizzle of melted dark chocolate are a fun twist on the classic but feel free to adapt this recipe to your own favorite flavor combinations.

makes about 24 marshmallows

3 envelopes gelatin
1 c cold water, divided
1 1/2 c granulated sugar
1 c light corn syrup
1/2 t sea salt
1 T vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean, scraped
1 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground cayenne
powdered sugar for dusting

chocolate coating:
6 oz dark chocolate, roughly chopped ( I used 71% Valrhona)
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of cayenne

make the marshmallow mixture
Start by preparing a sheet pan by lining with parchment and covering in a thick dusting of powdered sugar. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the gelatin and 1/2 a cup of the water and set aside while you make the syrup. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of water, granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt and bring to boil at medium heat. Continue to let the mixture bubble until it reaches 240 degrees (soft ball stage). With the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, slowly drizzle the syrup in over the gelatin with the mixer on medium-low. After you've added all the syrup, turn the mixer up to high and let it beat for about 10-15 minutes until the mixture is thick, glossy and white. Beat in the vanilla extract, scraped vanilla bean, cinnamon, and cayenne.

form the marshmallows
Add your marshmallow mixture to a large piping bag fitted with a large round tip and pipe little kisses. I made two sizes: a small two-bite size and a larger size perfect for topping mugs of hot chocolate. If you don't want to bother with a piping bag, you can add the marshmallow mixture to a square or rectangular pan covered in powdered sugar to later slice into squares. Sprinkle your marshmallows with more powdered sugar and let them dry at least 8 hours, or overnight.

dip the marshmallows
If you chose to make square marshmallows, dip a knife in powdered sugar and slice marshmallows into squares. Brush off any excess powdered sugar from the marshmallows and set aside. Place a large mixing bowl over a pot filled with a few inches of water to create a double boiler. The bowl should not touch the surface of the water. Add the chocolate and melt over medium heat. Dip the bottoms of the marshmallows in the chocolate and set on a wax paper or parchment-lined sheet tray and drizzle the tops with a little more chocolate using a fork. Sprinkle with a pinch each of cinnamon and cayenne.