Coffee marshmallows

This winter, I had been on a marshmallow making spree.  Toasted coconut, vanilla, even raspberry heart marshmallows!  I tried Kahlua marshmallows (twice!) and thought they were OK, but I wanted to make some more flavored marshmallows.  I have something coming up and I thought that some flavored marshmallows would be perfect for it, so I set out to find the perfect flavor of marshmallow to make.  Enter the coffee marshmallow!  Besides being delicious on it's own, imagine how good it would be in hot cocoa (say, in about 5 months when the heat has disappeared and hot cocoa actually sounds appetizing), making it a mocha....or even in a mug of coffee?!

*Pardon the poor photo quality - I took them with my iPhone*

I doctored up this recipe from the toasted coconut marshmallow recipe, leaving off the toasted coconut (obviously) and instead replacing the water in the recipe with really strong coffee (I used 8 oz of water and 3 heaping teaspoons of instant espresso powder for a really strong coffee flavor!....so I guess technically they are espresso marshmallows, but I digress.  A cup of really strong coffee would work, too).  I was going to add the vanilla, but when I tasted the marshmallow mixture before adding it, I thought it didn't need the added vanilla....they were perfectly coffee-y and delicious just as they were!

Stay tuned for a post on what I did with these delicious marshmallows!

(P.S. I also made a batch of the vanilla ones as they are, but used only 1 Tbsp of vanilla,  I'm not going to post them again since I made them here, but just so you know -- they're totally fluffy, tasty, and simply out-of-this-world.  Homemade marshmallows are worlds better than store bought ones!!  I tossed them in a mixture of 3/4 cup confectioners sugar and 1/2 cup of corn starch)

Coffee Marshmallows (or, in this case, Espresso Marshmallows)
Recipe by me, based on this recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup strong coffee, room temperature, divided (I used 3 heaping teaspoons of instant espresso powder in 8 oz of water)
3 Tbsp plus 1.5 tsp unflavored gelatin (3 envelopes)
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 tsp fine salt

Marshmallow coating:

1.5 cups confectioners sugar
1 cup corn starch
(I debated adding a pinch of espresso powder, but last minute I decided against it)

Directions:

Spray a 9 x 9 inch pan with Pam, and line the bottom with parchment paper.  Feel free to spray the parchment paper with some Pam, too, since when I made the vanilla ones it stuck a little.

In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, pour in half a cup of the coffee and sprinkle the gelatin over it.
Let it stand.

In a medium saucepan over high hear, stir together the coffee, corn syrup, sugar, and salt.
Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to boil.
Stop stirring and once the mixture comes to a rolling boil, continue boiling for one minute.
Remove from the heat (it helps to then pour the mixture into a 2-cup glass measuring up, to make it easier to pour the mixture.

Turn the mixer to low and mix the gelatin a bit to loosen it.
Very slowly and carefully pour the hot sugar mixture into the bowl by pouring it gently down the side of the bowl.
Continue to mix on low until all the sugar mixture is added.

Turn the mixture to high and whip for 10-12 minutes until the marshmallow batter almost triples in size and becomes very thick.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan and use a spatula or bench scraper to spread the marshmallow evenly in the pan, pushing it down into the corners.
Work quickly, as the marshmallow becomes more difficult to manipulate as it begins to set.

Spray a sheet of plastic wrap liberally with Pam and lay it across the top of the marshmallow, sprayed side down.
Using your fingers, smooth the plastic wrap on top of the marshmallows a bit to seal it smoothly and tightly against the marshmallows.

Leave the marshmallows to set at room temperature for at least 3 hours, or even better, overnight.

Mix together the confectioners sugar and corn starch.

When you're ready to cut the marshmallows, put a little bit of the corn starch mixture on a cutting board and flip the marshmallows onto the mixture.
Cut the marshmallows using a sharp knife or pizza cutter.  Or, use cookie cutters to make shapes.
Toss the cut marshmallows into the coating to cover, and then shake off the excess coating mixture using a strainer.
Place the marshmallows in a single layer in a pan, and then place waxed paper on top, and then continue layering marshmallows.
Store in an air tight container, for up to a week....if they last that long!