Homemade marshmallows

[maisonbistro]

So, I decided to try an make some today. So far, so good - I think - they are cooling in the pan as we speak. I would like to to coat them in chocolate - dark chocolate to be exact. The recipe I used (not a stretch, the one in this month's Bon Appetit or Gourmet - one of those) coats them in a mixture of potato starch and icing sugar after cutting. I'm thinking I shouldn't if I want to coat them in melted chocolate - or should I?

And I know every good patissier knows this, but do I add anything to my chocolate (butter or 35% cream), once melted, to get a nice shiny coating that will harden?

Thanks

[alliedawn_98]

You could also use paraffin wax melted into your chocolate to help it harden and have a shiny finish. My grandmother always made Martha Washington candy at Christmas and she used paraffin wax. I've made them without the wax and can definitely tell a difference.

[foiegras]

But paraffin is a petroleum byproduct ... they are not allowed in my house, never mind my food ;)

[stilton]

>And I know every good patissier knows this, but do I add anything to my chocolate >(butter or 35% cream), once melted, to get a nice shiny coating that will harden?

To get the shiny coating, you will need to temper the chocolate before dipping.

[TDEL]

If you go to Martha and search for : Momma Reiner's chocolate covered marshmallow she gives the instructions.

[maisonbistro]

Thanks, I went and saw the recipe, but they are for fudge covered marshmallows, and that's not what I want. She's making a fudge with condensed milk and butter etc... That sounds way way way too sweet for me. I just want a dark chocolate cover.

Thanks anyways

[julietg]

I made these for last year's Christmas. I dusted. I coated. The problem wasn't getting the chocolate to adhere to the dusted mallow, but prying the chocolate covered confection from the wax paper the next day. I would rest at least 24 hours after dusting with 10x and starch combo, coat, then chill.

see: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/472003

[nemo]

I'm pretty sure the powdered sugar and cornstarch mixture (which is what my recipe called for) is to prevent the marshmallows from sticking to each other. Mine turned out very soft, unlike the firm store kind, and they need the drying effect from the powders to aid in curing the cut edges. I've never dipped mine in chocolate, but it would seem that you wouldn't want the powder to inhibit chocolate coverage. But you probabaly want to dry them a bit and maybe even put them in the fridge or freezer so they don't melt when you dip. Or put them on a rack and pour the chocolate over. Not as luscious as chocolate covered, but you could roll them in cocoa powder (not sweet enough?).

[maisonbistro]

So, should I cut them and refrigerate them? or leave the pan whole, refrigerate, then cut and coat?

And the cocao powder thing doesn't cut it for me. I want the stark contrast of the white marshmallow and the dark chocolate.

Oy, I'm drooling on the keyboard now.

[foiegras]

I would think you would go ahead and powder them (part of the essence of marshmallows, right?), let them rest, then the chocolate ...

[maisonbistro]

I am still worried that the starchiness of the cornstarch will prevent the chocolate from adhering to the marshmallow. Will that not still be an issue after drying?

[nemo]

I'd cut, let dry a bit, chill or freeze a bit, then coat. I think if powdered that the chocolate will just roll off. Doncha think? My recipe called for a lot of the powder mixture. It wasn't just a dusting and spanked off.

[maisonbistro]

Yeah, that's exactly what i was thinking.

Thanks

[foiegras]

With the homestyle marshmallows I've had, it wouldn't be an issue. They're not as dry or as powdery as the commercial ones, plus they're not machine made, so the surface has a lot more variation. I would just do a dusting ...