Vanilla Bean Marshmallows

So, apparently I have a thing for vanilla lately (please see: vanilla bean ice cream and vanilla bean macaroons)? I don't know what the deal-io is with that but all I can say is that I super love cooking/baking with whole vanilla beans :).

I think that homemade marshmallows are possibly one of the tastiest culinary novelties. No one expects you to actually make your very own, and I'm fairly certain that when most people think of marshmallows they just think of the jet-puffed cylinders in the clear plastic on the baking aisle. Let me just tell you right now, you have not truly enjoyed a s'more if you have been using marshmallows of the store-bought variety. S'mores with homemade marshmallows are on a whole different level (side note: I was about to write "whole nother level," which is something I often say but never thought about. What the heck is a "nother"? Is it short for another? In that case is it "whole another level"? How completely peculiar!!).

While these marshmallows are positively scrumptious in their un-s'more-ified state (and far better than any store-bought mallow), they are shockingly good when toasted and smashed between two graham crackers. The chocolate component in my s'mores is homemade chocolate ganache. I tried two different methods: 1) I just poured it on the melted mallow and smashed it all between two graham crackers, 2) I dipped half of the graham cracker in the ganache and let it dry. Why the latter version may appear neater, nothing beats a deliciously gooey marshmallow and chocolate mess :P!

Vanilla Bean Marshmallows

recipe slightly adapted from here

ingredients:

• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• nonstick spray
• 3 packages unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup ice cold water, divided
• 1 1/2 cups (298g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 tsp salt
• seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Combine the confectioners' sugar in corn starch in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Spray a 9'' X 13" pan with nonstick spray. Pour in the sugar/cornstarch mixture and tip the pan to coat all sides. Reserve the excess in a small bowl.
3. Place the gelatin in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add in 1/2 cup of the water and let stand.
4. In a small saucepan, combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover, and cook for 3-4 minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Do not stir the mixture! Simply swirl the saucepan to distribute. Uncover after the sugar has dissolved and place a candy thermometer into the saucepan. Continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees (F), 7-8 minutes. Immediately remove from heat.
5. Turn the mixture on low and slowly and carefully pour the hot sugar syrup into the gelatin. Once it is all added, increase the speed to high and whip until the mixture is lukewarm and very thick, about 12-15 minutes. Add in the vanilla bean seeds and vanilla extract in the last couple of minutes of mixing.
6. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula to spread. Dust the top with enough of the reserved sugar/cornstarch mixture to lightly cover the top. Reserve the remainder. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours.
7. Turn the marshmallows onto a cutting board and cut into desired shapes with either a knife or cookie cutter. Dust all of the sides with the sugar/cornstarch mixture. Store in tupperware.

S'mores Ice Cream

I know the title alone has already sold you, but let me at least pretend to further convince you :D.
This ice cream is certainly not your typical ice cream- unlike the countless ice creams I have made before, this one is not a custard, as in it contains no eggs. What it does have is marshmallows melted right into the actual ice cream itself ( I know, crazy right?). Annnd, there's no sugar; the marshmallows pack enough sugar in on their own not to warrant any extra.
It's a pretty unbelievable concoction. You'l be super weirded out by the consistency before it firms up in the freezer- DON'T WORRY, magic will happen, I promise ;)!
The end product is a wonderful, creamy, marshmallow-flavored base with graham cracker swirls and crunchy chocolate pieces- a frozen s'more! It's certainly a real treat for those hot summer days when the traditional warm s'more just won't cut it. (Can you tell I'm totally obsessed with summer lately? Gah, I'm so excited! If only this dreary Seattle-weather would clear up for more than a day!)

S'mores Ice Cream

recipe from here

The original recipe stated the yield was 1/2 quart, but I doubled it and nearly overflowed my 2 quart ice cream machine (this is the doubled recipe here, so feel free to halve it if you're worried.). 

ingredients:

• 1 package marshmallows (I used the big, Jet-Puffed variety)
• 2 cups whole milk
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 2 milk chocolate bars, chopped (I used one Ghirardelli bar and one Hershey's with Almonds bar)
• 5-6 graham crackers, broken into pieces

1. In a large saucepan, heat together the marshmallows, milk, and cream over medium heat until the marshmallows are melted and combined with the milk/cream. The mixture will increase in size due to the expanding marshmallows. Remove from heat and allow to cool for only a minute so it doesn't get too sticky. 
2. Transfer to your ice cream maker and churn for 30-40 minutes (yes the mixture will be piping hot when your pour it in). In the last couple of minutes, add in the chocolate pieces. Stir in the graham cracker pieces by hand.
3. Freeze for 4-6 hours ( I found any less produced an odd, gelatinous consistency) and serve!

Smitten Kitchen's Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats

I love the classic Rice Krispie Treats as much as the next person and so does my boyfriend Mikey, which is why when he asked me, at literally midnight last night, if he went out and bought a box of the cereal if I would make him the delicious treats, I said yes. But, of course I can't be satisfied with just the average Rice Krispie Treat. I need a slightly gourmet flair- and then I remembered Deb's salted brown butter version and it was settled.
These crispy bars are absolutely to-die-for (plus entirely too easy to make)! Especially if you eat them before they are all set up and still ooey, gooey, and warm. The brown butter gives them a slightly nutty favor that is simply sublime with the flaky salt.

Yum! You can even juuust barely see the little bits of browned butter in them.

Smitten Kitchen's Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats

recipe from here

ingredients:

• 4 ounces unsalted butter, plus extra to grease the pan
• 1 10 ounce bag of marshmallows
• heaping 1/4 tsp coarse salt (I used fleur de sel)
• 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

1. Grease an 8 inch square baking dish; set aside.
2. In a large pot (I used a dutch oven), melt and brown the butter over medium-low heat. Deb says the butter will "melt, then foam, then turn clear golden, and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty." Continually stir the butter and scrape any browned bits that form at the bottom of the pan. The butter will turn from browned to burned very quickly so don't let it out of your sight!
3. Turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows right when the butter is browned. If the residual heat alone does not melt the marshmallows, turn the heat back on low and stir until fully melted and creamy. 
4. Take the pot off of the heat if you turned it back on and stir in the cereal and salt into the butter/marshmallow mixture.
5. Spread the mixture immediately into the prepared pan and press it down so that it is even. Let cool to room temperature and cut into squares.