Chocolate S'more Thumbprints

Who saw the finale of Masterchef All Stars yesterday? I won't post any spoilers, but I was so so excited, that person is my absolute favorite, and my reason to watch the entire season! Technically, I shouldn't even be watching, since I'm approaching the deadline for my dissertation, and am hard at work, not leaving home for days sometimes. My laundry stack consists of only pyjamas and shorts -_-   Fun times, right? Hopefully though, this is my last post while working on the dissertation, I should be done by the next one. Then I'll finally have time to make the rounds of the blogosphere, something I've missed a lot.

So today's post is for this month's Secret Recipe Club, and I got Melissa's Cuisine as my assignment. This was one of my better assignments, I had a ton of options, and would probably have made a few more things if I wasn't so busy, especially the one recipe that's been doing rounds of the blogosphere, and one that I'll probably be making very soon.

But I chose these thumbprints for now, mainly because I was in the mood for something sweet and indulgent. I had to make the marshmallow fluff from scratch since I haven't seen it in stores here, and it was a lot of fun making it too. I'll post about it sometime, after perfecting the recipe.

These cookies are crumbly, chocolate-y but not too much, and the frosting on top gives a fantastic contrast. Plus, they're just so much fun to look at.

Chocolate S'more Thumbprints

From How Sweet Eats via Melissa's Cuisine
Yield : About 2 dozen

For the cookies -
1/2 cup [113 g / 1 stick] butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup [40 g] brown sugar
2 tbsp [44 g] sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup [90 g] flour
1/4 cup [22 g] cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 batch marshmallow frosting [recipe below]
Graham cracker crumbs, of about 2 crackers

Instructions -

1. Preheat oven to 375 F [190 C]. Grease and line two cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars, till light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and yolk and beat till well incorporated.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder and salt. Now add this to the butter mixture, and mix just until incorporated.
4. Fold in the chocolate chips. Put about inch sized balls onto the cookie sheet, and make an indentation in the centres using your thumb.
5. Cook for 8-10 minutes, till the outsides seem firm. Cool on a wire rack till you prepare the frosting.

For the marshmallow frosting -
Recipe from How Sweet Eats

1 cup [226 g / 2 sticks] butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions -

1.  In the bowl of your mixer, beat the butter till it's creamy [about 5 minutes].
2.  Add the vanilla and fluffy, and beat for another 3-4 minutes, till light and fluffy. Now add 2 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar and beat well. Add the remaining 1/2 cup in small additions, till it reaches desired consistency. 
3. Using a tablespoon, or a piping bag if you wish, put a dollop on the cooled cookies. 
4. Sprinkle on the graham cracker crumbs, and serve.

DIY : How to make homemade marshmallows

This is a new series I'm starting here on YB. It's born out of a lack of ingredient availability here in India. Also, homemade is always better, isn't it? So whether it's to make up for ingredient non-availabilty, or to healthy your home up and avoid preservatives, or simply bagging rights [I mean, homemade marshmallows! That's sure to get some oohs and aahhs], I hope you follow along, and use this series in your homes too. I will update as and when something comes up that I make, it may not be super regular, but that's me. I don't work well with deadlines :)

These marshmallows were simply ethereal. So fluffy and light. I think I'm going to have to make one slab, and use it as my pillow! Wouldn't that be awesome? An edible pillow! I'm rushing to patent my creation ;) They are made with egg whites, and so have a surreal level of fluffiness that can't be matched. They're one of Deb's recipes, who I trust beyond belief, so ofcourse they're amazing! They're actually also very easy to make, especially if you have the correct equipment.



On the downside though, these tend to melt a little easier than regular marshmallows, because of the egg whites. While they will still taste the same, they won't look as pretty, as you may have noticed on my cookies post a while ago. If you have a kitchen torch, then you're good to go, because they are infinitely better, or even if you don't have one, just try these, they're amazing as is!! And they're absolutely perfect for roasting for s'mores, the fact that they melt easier is actually a plus.

Homemade Marshmallows

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen
Yield - About 85 1 inch sized marshmallows

3/4 cup [98 g] confectioners’ sugar + 1/4 cup corn starch - Sifted together
3 1/2 envelopes [2 tbsp + 2 1/2 tsp] unflavored gelatin
1 cup cold water, divided
2 cups [480 g] granulated sugar
1/2 cup [150 g] light corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
2 large egg whites or reconstituted powdered egg whites
1 tbsp vanilla [you can play around with flavorings / colors]

Note : The marshmallow 'batter' is very sticky, it would be best to pre-oil or spray everything that is going to come into contact with it.. like the pan, spatulas, your fingers, etc. I've tried to list out step-by-step, every detail to make it as easy as possible.

Equipment needed -

Stand Mixer [highly recommended, though you technically can make it with a hand mixer]
Candy thermometer

1. Oil a 9x13 pan well, then dust with the confectioner's sugar mixture liberally. Tap excess out.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, pour in all the gelation. Now pour in 1/2 cup cold water over it, give it a quick stir, and let it sit to soften and bloom.
3. In a large, heavy saucepan, pour in the granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt and second 1/2 cup of water. Clip on your candy thermometer. Cook over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the sugar dissolves. Now increase heat to medium, and let it boil, without stirring, until the temperate on the thermometer registers 240 F, about 12-14 minutes. Remove from heat, and immediately pour into the bowl of your stand mixer, stirring until the gelation dissolves.
4. Using the whisk attachment, beat the mixture on high until it becomes white, fluffy, thick, and almost tripled in volume, about 6-8 minutes. Don't be afraid to let it beat, it should be quite thick.
5. Meanwhile, in another bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Beat these whites into the above sugar mixture, also add whatever flavorings and colors you choose, just until combined.
6. Pour into prepared pan, and don't try to get it all out, it's an exercise in futility. Sift 1/4 cup of the  confectioners sugar mixture evenly over the top. Refrigerate uncovered until firm, atleast 3 hours, or up to one day.
7. Now run a thin knife along the edges of the pan, and invert it onto a large cutting board, on which some of the confectioners sugar mixture has already been sprinkled. Lift up one corner of the pan, and using your fingers, gently loosen the marshmallow slab, and ease on the board.
8. Using an oiled knife, [or an oiler pizza cutter works better], cut the marshmallow slab into 1 inch cubes. Sift all the remaining confectioners sugar mixture back into your empty pan, and now roll all the cut marshmallows in it, making sure all six sides are coated well. Tap out the excess from each [a quick toss in your hands, a few at a time works perfectly], and store in an airtight container, ready to use.
9. These were ok for about a week outside, after which I stored them in the refrigerator for about another week, and they were perfectly alright. However, I don't recommend storing them longer than that.