The Adventures of J and K: Halloween Chocolate Marshmallows

Halloween Chocolate dipped Marshmallows on a STICK! J and I have a philosophy. Anything on a stick is good. As we have yet to come across a food item on a stick that is not good, so far our philosophy holds true.

I love Halloween. Screw you Christmas, Halloween is my favorite holiday of the year. I get more free candy from trick-or-treating then that which comes in a Christmas Stocking or Easter Basket. Yes, I am 31 and I still go trick-or-treating. When you are 5 feet tall you can get away with it if the costume is right. I get to dress up and people think it is normal. I would dress up every day in various costumes if I did not have this social phobia which prevents me from doing so. I have a costume drawer. I can be artistic with my foodies and pumpkin carving. I love pumpkin flavored everything. I like going through haunted houses and getting scared. I'm a screamer. I scream well. This year we did Fear Factory. It's no Rocky Point, but I got a few good scares out of it and the old cement factory building itself is an amazing piece of architecture. Also, well worth it just to go down the 3 story pitch black slide at the end. I love make-up, special effects, and crazy costumes. I boast quite the collection of scary movies. I am married to a werewolf. J has many wolfy attributes. I should list them one of these days.

Marshmallows

3 packs of unflavored gelatin (3 Tbs) found in the baking aisle at grocery stores. Not Jello, gelatin.
1/2 cold water
Add gelatin packs to 1/2 cup cold water in a mixer and let sit while boiling the rest of the ingredients. To a large sauce pan add:
1 and 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
Cook on medium high heat until candy thermometer reaches about 240 degrees. It takes about 10 minutes to boil. Once it reaches temperature immediately remove from heat and slowly add to the mixing bowl, mixing on slow with the metal whisk attachment. Let the syrup run down the side of the bowl.
Once it is all in turn the mixer on high and whip it, whip it good for 12 - 15 minutes. It will begin to get fluffier. At the last minute add:
1 Tbs vanilla extract.
While mixing grease a pan with shortening or butter and cover in a light dusting of powdered sugar.
Pour the marshmallow goo into the pan (quickly before is hardens) and spread it out with a buttered knife or spatula. Dust the top with powdered sugar again. Let the marshmallows sit uncovered for 4+ hours or overnight.
Scrape along the sides of the pan with a knife and dump the pan shaped block out on a powdered sugar dusted table top.

When cutting the marshmallows out dip the cookie cutter or pizza cutter in powdered sugar. Once the marshmallow is separated from the rest of the block coat the sides in powdered sugar to keep it from sticking. Insert stick at the bottom base of the marshmallow. Cut up the scraps into tiny marshmallows for hot chocolate.

Get your Candy melts ready. I am using Orange, Light Green, and Black. I also have sugar eyes for the Frankenstein Monster. Victor Frankenstein was the scientist who created the monster, not the monster itself. To the best of my knowledge the monster has no name. The book was very boring so I did not read it.

Microwave candy melts 30 seconds at a time and stir until it is smooth and melty. Dip the Marshmallows into the candy melt color of choice.

Set the newly dipped marshmallows on a wax paper covered pan. I did not dip the ghosts because I wanted them to stay white I felt dipping them in white chocolate was redundant and I wanted a set of just plain marshmallows. Refrigerate or freeze the chocolate covered marshmallows until the chocolate has set. 5 - 10 min. I stuck the sugar eyes on Frankie while the chocolate was still warm so they stick.