I'm still getting to know our customers, so I've been offering a mix of existing classes while working in some new menus. It's been really gratifying to hear their feedback, the students really seem to like the new offerings. I'm starting to venture back into developing brand new recipes for classes, and I'm having a lot of fun with it.
Our annual Citrus Festival happens every January at the store, and I created a number of new classes to highlight the festival, including one that focuses on citrus in baking and pastry. As you might imagine, a baking and pastry class means that we're using the ovens a lot, and multiple bake times and temperatures can be a trick to manage. To make that part of the class logistics a bit easier, I often try to include a recipe that doesn't need to use the oven, and for this class, I added a marshmallow recipe.
Most people think marshmallows are made with egg whites, but they're actually made with unflavored gelatin. Gelatin is made from animal collagen (connective tissue, bones, etc.), so classically made marshmallows like this recipe are not vegetarian-friendly. It is great for your hair, skin, and nails, though. Once the gelatine is softened in water, it is whipped with hot sugar syrup until it is light and fluffy, then spread into a pan to cool.
Marshmallows can be flavored during the mixing process and before they are cooled and set. For our citrus class, I wanted to make a grapefruit flavored marshmallow. To achieve this, I took fresh-squeezed Texas ruby-red grapefruit juice and boiled it on the stove until it had reduced in volume by about two thirds. I added this reduced juice to the sugar syrup, then added the zest of a whole ruby-red grapefruit just as I finished whipping the marshmallows. (Add the zest at the end of mixing,otherwise it will just end up collecting and clinging to the wires of the mixer's whip attachment.) The juice and zest gave the marshmallows a delicate pink color in addition to a great flavor.
To finish off the marshmallows, I dipped them in chocolate and garnished the with candied grapefruit zest. I hope you enjoy!
Chocolate-Dipped Pink Grapefruit Marshmallows
Makes 36 marshmallows
For the candied
grapefruit zest:
1 pink
grapefruit
2 cups
sugar, plus additional for coating the candied zest
2 cups
water
For the
marshmallows:
Vegetable
oil for brushing pan
About 3 cups
confectioners' sugar for coating pan and marshmallows
1 cup pink
grapefruit juice
1 cup water,
divided
3 (¼-ounce)
envelopes powdered unflavored gelatin
1 ½ cups
granulated sugar
1 cup light
corn syrup
¼ teaspoon
salt
Zest of 1
pink grapefruit (removed with a microplane)
For the
chocolate coating:
8 ounces
bittersweet chocolate
To make
the candied grapefruit zest:
Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the grapefruit in large strips,
being careful to minimize the amount of white pith that is attached to the
zest. Using a sharp knife, shave off as much of the white pith from the zest
strips as possible. Cut the zest strips into 2 inch lengths, then thinly
julienne the zest pieces.
Place the
julienned zest pieces into a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring the pan
to a boil over medium high heat. Empty the pan into a fine mesh strainer, add
fresh water to the saucepan and return the zest from the strainer to the pan.
Repeat the boiling and straining process 2 more times, for a total of 3 times.
Return the
3 times boiled zest to the saucepan, and add the 2 cups water and 2 cups sugar.
Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
Once at a full boil, reduce the heat to medium. Continue to cook on a low
boil/high simmer, until the zest is translucent and the sugar syrup has reduced
by about one third, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Place a
fine mesh strainer over a bowl and pour the sugar syrup and candied zest into
the strainer. Place about a cup or two of sugar on a plate or other shallow
dish, and transfer the strained zest onto the plate. (Save the syrup, it makes
great cocktails!) Gently separate and toss the candied zest pieces with the
sugar to coat. Remove the sugared zest pieces and transfer them to a plate or
sheet pan to dry. The dried zest can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks.
To make
the marshmallows: Brush
the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan with vegetable oil. Using a
small, fine-mesh sieve, dust the foiled pan generously with confectioners'
sugar.
Put the ½ cup
water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Sprinkle
the gelatin into the bowl and stir briefly to make sure all the gelatin is in
contact with water. (The gelatin will soften and absorb the water.)
In a heavy
3- to 4-quart saucepan, bring the grapefruit juice to a boil. Boil until the
juice is reduced in volume to 1/3 cup. Remove from the
heat and add the granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt, and ½ cup water, mixing
together with a silicone spatula until combined. Place the saucepan over
moderate heat and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Put a
candy thermometer into the boiling sugar syrup and continue boiling (the
mixture may foam up, so turn the heat down slightly if necessary), without
stirring, until the thermometer registers 240°F (soft-ball stage). Remove the
saucepan from the heat and let stand briefly until the bubbles dissipate
slightly.
With the
mixer on low speed, pour the hot sugar syrup in a thin stream down the side of
the bowl into the softened gelatin. Gradually increase the mixer speed to high
and beat until the marshmallow is very thick and forms a thick ribbon when the
whisk is lifted, about 5 minutes. Beat in the grapefruit zest.
With the
silicone spatula, scrape the marshmallow into the prepared pan (it will be very
sticky) and use wet fingertips to spread it evenly and smooth the top. Let
stand, uncovered at room temperature, until the surface is no longer sticky and
you can gently pull the marshmallow away from the sides of the pan with your
fingertips, at least 4 hours or overnight.
Dust a
cutting board with confectioners' sugar. Brush or spray an offset spatula with oil and
run the spatula around the inside edges of the pan to loosen the marshmallow.
(You may need to run the spatula under hot water as it becomes sticky and to
reapply the oil.) Lightly oil your hands and fingers and pull the marshmallow
away from the sides of the pan, and invert it onto the cutting board. Dust the
marshmallow with more confectioners' sugar.
Brush or spray a long thin knife or
a chef's knife with vegetable oil. (As with the spatula, you may need to run
the spatula under hot water as it becomes sticky and to reapply the oil.) Cut
lengthwise into 6 strips, then crosswise into 6 strips, to form a total of 36
squares. (For smaller marshmallows, cut lengthwise into 8 strips, then
crosswise into 8 strips, to form a total of 64 squares.) Transfer the marshmallows to a bowl of
powdered sugar to coat, then remove from the bowl and brush off any excess with
a pastry brush. (Marshmallows can be stored, layered between sheets of wax
paper or parchment in an airtight container in a dry place at cool room temperature,
for 1 month.)
To coat
with chocolate:
Place the marshmallows on a parchment lined sheet pan in the freezer for about
30 minutes.
Place the
chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water to melt.
Remove the bowl of melted chocolate from the pan, and remove the marshmallows
from the freezer. Carefully dip the marshmallows in the chocolate. Place the marshmallows chocolate-side-up back on the parchment lined
sheet pan. Before the chocolate sets completely, place a piece of candied
grapefruit zest on top of the marshmallow. Repeat with the remaining
marshmallows. (Chocolate-coated marshmallows can be stored in an air-tight
container and should be eaten within a few days.)
