I stumbled upon this coconut marshmallow recipe over a year ago, and finally decided to make it this year. If you have ever thought about trying your hand at homemade marshmallows, give these a whirl! They are a fantastic accompaniment to a cup of hot cocoa, provide a twist on the traditional s’more and are delicious on their own.
Ingredients
– 3 pkgs unflavored gelatin – water – 1 1/2 c. sugar – 1 c. light corn syrup – 1/4 tsp salt – 1 Tbsp vanilla extract – powdered sugar – sweetened shredded coconut
Directions
If the coconut you purchased is sweetened and shredded but not toasted, you can quickly toast it in a large skillet. On medium heat, it will take 5-7 minute total for roughly 12 ounces of coconut. A few pieces will brown here and there, and then suddenly anything that it touches the bottom of the pan will be toasted in a flash. At this stage, stir constantly for even toasting and to avoid burning. Set aside – this step can be completed hours before the next!
Combine 3 envelopes or packages of gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water in a stand-up mixer. You will need the whisk attachment in a few steps – this is a great time to ensure it is in place.
In a small saucepan, mix the sugar, corn syrup, salt and 1/2 cup water, cooking on medium. Once the sugar has dissolved, increase to high and cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. It will be boiling – that is to be expected – but watch for any bubbling that could spill over the edges. If this happens, pick up the pot and set it back on the burner once the bubbling as subsided.
Another tip: any sugary mixture that has hit the sides of the pot may start to burn, particularly at the top of the saucepan. I removed my smoke detector temporarily as I noticed this starting to happen. However I returned it immediately once I completed the next step. Safety first!
On low speed, add the hot sugar syrup to the gelatin in the mixer. Be careful, as the mix was just boiling a moment ago. Once combined, whip on high for 15 minutes. It will resemble a meringue, but will be heavier. Add the vanilla, and mix until well-combined.
In a 13″ x 9″ glass pan (I used Pyrex), heavily dust the bottom with powdered sugar and then sprinkle roughly half the toasted coconut on top. Pour the marshmallow mixture next, and use a spatula to smooth out the surface. It will be sticky! Sprinkle the remaining coconut and allow to dry overnight – at least 12 hours.
Once dry, use a sharp knife to cut along the edges of the pan and flip onto a cutting board to slice into rectangles, squares or whatever shape you prefer. I chose to cut my marshmallows in sections due to the size of my cutting board. Roll each side of every marshmallow in powdered sugar, as they will be very sticky otherwise. Eat immediately, share with loved ones, or store in an airtight container. And most importantly – enjoy!
Until next time,
SugarSource
P.S. For easy clean-up, put water in tea kettle and set it on high while you are slicing. When you are done with the marshmallows, place your pan in the sink and pour the boiling water over the dish, paying particular attention to the areas where the mallow stuck the most. You can also occasionally run the knife under hot water if you find it is starting to gunk up as you use it!
Los Angeles is known for wonderful weather, sunshine, juice cleanses…but not necessarily delicious (and not nutritious) baked goods. That was partially why I was so surprised to discover the absolute deliciousness of the Mocha Chip Cookie at 
After placing our order, we clinked our glasses – in a truly luxurious move, we chose to accompany our afternoon tea with champagne – and continued to take in our surroundings. Before we knew it, our individual pots of tea arrived with cards confirming our selections, followed closely by a three-tiered golden tray. The table provided a reflection of our miniature sandwiches – traditional crustless cucumber, lox (for a nod to the Big Apple), egg salad, turkey and cranberry, chicken salad and an itty bitty roast beef baguette. They were quite filling for being so small!
The desserts, the true highlight, were delightful. The miniature key lime tart was sweet, the meringue spongy and the filling had a bite to it. The fruit tart was tiny, and the berries made a strong statement. I am not a fan of cheesecake, generally speaking, but was happy to sample the Plaza’s version (though unfortunately it did not convert me completely). The tiny black and white eclair was quickly forgotten, while the intensely chocolately orange triangle was the highlight, flavor-wise. The most stunning execution was the white chocolate and cranberry cake, which made up for the lack of strong fruit notes with the beauty of the assembled package, while the pistachio macaron turned into my second to-go item.
SugarSource 