Summer Baking Challenge Week 3: Marshmallows!

I was so excited to try these! I found the recipe via Pinterest and here is the link to the website it was found:

 http://www.bellaeats.com/blog/2008/12/22/holiday-gift-boxes.html

Homemade Marshmallows 

4 envelopes of Knox unflavored gelatin

Water

3 cups granulated sugar

1 1/4 cups light corn syrup 

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Confectioners sugar for slicing

1. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine 3/4 cup of the water, sugar, and corn syrup.

2. Meanwhile, in bowl of stand mixer, place the other 3/4 cup of water and sprinkle the gelatin on the top, let turn solid(which will only take a minute).

3. Bringing sugar mixture to a boil, place candy thermometer in middle of mixture, making sure not to touch the side or the bottom of the pan and let it continue at a rolling boil until mixture passes 235 degrees Fahrenheit , which should take about 3-5 minutes. (I actually just boiled it and kind of walked away and forgot about so I have no idea how long mine was there for. I rushed back to it with great speed and it looked clear with a brown tinge, kind of like when you make meringue).

4. With mixer on low, carefully pour sugar mixture into mixer bowl, add salt and slowly raise beater to high speed.

5. Beat sugar mixture on high for five minutes and then add vanilla extract. (If you want to add other flavours like mint, cocoa powder for chocolate or you can add food colouring to make colourful ones).

6. Continue beating mixture for an additional 5 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, grease a 9x13 inch pan for large marshmallows or two 10x10 inch pans for small marshmallows.

8. When done beating, pour mixture into pan(s), smooth top and tap to release extra air.

9. Leave on counter overnight to solidify(I actually didn't wait. I took it out after about 5 or 6 hours and it still worked).

10. Generously sprinkle working surface with confectioners sugar, turn out mass of marshmallow, generously sprinkle more sugar, and cut as desired, lightly coating marshmallow shapes with more sugar to avoid sticking.

9x13 pan makes about 96 marshmallows that can supposedly be stored for a week. I will see if it can last longer. :p

They taste just like store bought without any chemical tastes. Yummy!

*UPDATE*

I've just tried making chai tea marshmallows by substituting chai tea for water and added a few dashes of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. It tastes soooo yummy! Gah! The possibilities are endless!

Dairy-Free Mocha Banana Icecream

So I found this delicious recipe here:

http://www.oxygenmag.com/Nutrition/Articles/Mocha-Banana-Ice-Cream.aspx

I tweaked it a bit so here is my version.

MOCHA BANANA "ICE CREAM"
Ready in 5 minutes • Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:
2 frozen bananas
1 tsp instant coffee or espresso
1 tsp Cocoa powder

Instructions:
1.    Remove bananas from freezer and let sit on the counter for 5 minutes. 
2.    Peel bananas and break or cut into chunks, then place into a food processor. Pulse about 20 times until bananas are in small pieces, then blend until smooth. If necessary, stop the machine and scrape from the sides. 
3.    Add the coffee and cocoa to the food processor, and blend again to fully incorporate. Serve into two little bowls or one big bowl.

  And this is how it looks when it is done. :)

Summer Baking Challenge: Week 1: Angel Food Cake

So this was the very first time ever making angel food cake from scratch. I tried making it from a cake mix when I was around 10yrs old. I found he recipe here: http://www.marthastewart.com/341215/angel-food-cake?czone=food/cake-center/favorite-cake-recipes&center=0&gallery=274933&slide=341215

I made it with a simple orange glaze.

Angel Food Cake with Orange Glaze

Ingredients

• 1 cup cake flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place flour and salt in a sieve set over a bowl; sift into bowl, and set aside. With a mixer, beat egg whites on medium-high until foamy, about 1 minute. Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. 
   
2. Continue to beat, gradually adding sugar; beat until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla; beat to combine.
   
   
3. Gently transfer egg-white mixture to a large, wide bowl. In four batches, using the sieve again, sift flour mixture over egg-white mixture. While turning the bowl, use a rubber spatula to fold in the mixture by cutting down the center and coming up the sides.
   
4. Gently spoon batter into an ungreased angel food cake pan with a removable bottom; smooth top. Cut a knife or small spatula through batter to release air bubbles. Bake until cake is golden and springs back when lightly pressed, 35 to 40 minutes. Invert pan; let cool in pan, 1 hour. Run a knife around the inside of the pan and around the tube to release cake, and unmold. Use knife to release cake from bottom of pan, and remove.

And it should look like this

I probably over cooked it. The timer went off and I kind of forgot about it for a few minutes...  :p

For the glaze, all I did was take about 1 cup of confectioners icing sugar and mixed

It with about three tablespoons of milk. After that I grated the rind of an orange and

 mixed that in. Very yummy I must admit. It was a bit strong though so half the rind 

of an orange would probably work better. 

The end product?

Yumminess!

Summer Baking Challenge

So this summer me and one of my friends are doing a summer baking challenge. The challenge is that we have to try baking once a week something we have never tried baking before. It should be fun since I bake quite a lot. This week is week one so I will be posting my baked goodie later on when I'm done making it. :)