Marshmallows, made from scratch

When I was driving home with my mom (or, rather, riding in the car, since I can't use my left leg to drive anyone's standard cars) we saw these cows, and turned around to take a picture. The cows were standing in line, in the middle of an empty field. It was a lot funnier than I was able to portray in this picture. But the fact that there are cows around, sigh, means that there are farms and green fields and gardens in things other than pots... Someday I'll live outside of dirty Philly and maybe not have so much of a hate/love/hate relationship with the place I live in. Did you know that I harbor not-so-secret dreams of living back in New England and growing vegetables and having chickens and having a place for Puff to run around?
Well, now you know. Did you know that I love candy, and marshmallows are easy to make? And magic? Similar to beating egg whites into fluffy, big meringues, making marshmallows takes a syrup of water, corn syrup, and sugar combined with a few packets of gelatin, and makes something delicious and fluffy and sticky and huge. This recipe was in Gourmet in July, I've made it a few times and really, it's awesome. And fairly easy. And impresses people, how many people do you know that make marshmallows?
Marshmallows
1/2 c cold water
3 1/4-ounce envelopes unflavored gelatin
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 c water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup potato starch or corn starch
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Dissolve the gelatin in the bowl of your mixer (not hand-held! You need a heavy-duty stand mixer! And with a whisk attachment) with the first 1/2 c cold water. Let sit for about 15 minutes, while you make a syrup from the sugar, corn syrup, salt and water. Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves, and then bring to a boil and cook for about 8 minutes (to 240 degrees, but I've never temp'ed it, just gone with 8 minutes). Turn your mixer onto low (by this point, all your gelatin should have dissolved in the water) and slowly and carefully pour the hot syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin. Slowly (seriously, otherwise hot liquid will splash all over and it will hurt) turn the mixer up to high, and then go do something else, like wash your dishes or eat some pizza. Oh, but first, line a pan (13x9) with foil, and grease the foil. Once your syrupy mix has turned into a lot of fluffy white stuff (about the consistency of Fluff), scrape it into your pan, smoothing the top, or just slamming the pan down onto the counter. Walk away for about 4 hours, maybe go see The Dark Knight, and then come back and mix your corn/potato starch and confectioners sugar in a bowl. Dust a work surface with that mix, then turn the marshmallow rectangle out onto it, and carefully peel off the foil. Dust the bottom (now top) and then cut into strips, dusting each side as you cut, and then into cubes, dusting as you go. These keep for a while.

honeycomb candy!

I've been reading the Kitchen Wench blog the last few days, and it's so good. By reading I mean drooling over the pictures and reading a little bit ad checking out the recipes. Anyway, she had this recipe for honeycomb candy. I've had honeycomb candy in england, and occasionally found it in america, but had never considered making it at home. I had some time before work, so I tried it out. It's great.

Honeycomb Candy
1 1/2 c sugar
1/3 c light corn syrup
2 T honey
1/4 c water
2 T baking soda

Combine the sugar, corn syrup, honey and water in a high-sided saucepan. Cook on medium-low heat until sugar has dissolved, then keep cooking, until syrup reaches a medium amber color. Meanwhile, line a 13x9ish pan with foil, up the sides. Keep on hand. Dump the baking soda into the sugar mix all at once, stir quickly, and remove from heat. The mixture is going to get really high, fast. Pour the foamy candy into the pan and leave it alone for about an hour, until it cools. Break up and eat as is, or on ice cream, or in cookies, or dip in chocolate. Store in an airtight container at room temp.

pate de fruits

I've been staring at Elise's recipe for membrillo, quince paste to eat with sharp cheeses, since she posted it the other day. However, I can't find quince anywhere. Alex had the other Wholefoods order it for him, so eventually I'll get some, but until then I settled (happily) on making some pate de fruits, which are homemade gummy candy that is delicious. I searched around and found a few recipes, but this one was the easiest by far, and used pre-made jam instead of playing with pectin or using fruit that has pectin in it. I was feeling lazy and not up to cooking something for a long time and then testing and retesting the jell. I used this recipe, with my homemade spiced plum jam. They're great, and take about 5 minutes.
Pate de fruits
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
2/3 c water
3/4 c granulated sugar
1 c jam, any flavor
sugar for coating

Line an 8x8" pan with parchment paper, set aside. Sprinkle gelatin over 1/3 c water. Set aside, let soften. Combine remaining water and sugar. Heat over med high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Let mixture come to a boil, then add jam and stir to dissolve completely. Add gelatin, stir until that dissolves, then boil 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan and chill 4 hours. Coat top with sugar, turn out onto wax paper, cut small squares and coat in sugar. Store in airtight container, separated by wax paper. Hide from your boyfriend.