Christmas Gifts

I thought that this would make a great gift to give someone this year for christmas. Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix and Homemade Marshmallows. Both of them are oh so very yummy. You could but the hot chocolate in a cute tin or jar, and the marshmallows in a cute bag attached to it. or just use it for yourself.

The hot Chocolate recipe is very easy.

2 1/4 cups dry milk

1 cup and 1 tablespoon sifted powedered sugar

1/3 cup and 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup and 1 tablespoon powdered non-dairy creamer (I used creamy Chocolate, but you could use whatever flavor you wanted)

In a large mixing bowl combine milk powder, sugar, cocoa powder, and creamer. Stir till combinded. Store in an airtight container. Makes 10 servings.

To make hot chocolate, place 1/3 cup cocoa mixture in a mug and add 3/4 cup hot water. Stir to dissolve.

The Marshmallow recipe has a few more steps. I found this recipe on the Joy of Baking website.

Homemade Marshmallows

1 cup cold water divided

3- 1/4 ounce envelopes unflavored gelatin

2 cups grandulated white sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Spray a 13x9x2 inch pan with nonstick vegetable spray or rub with vegetable oil. Then coat the pans with powdered sugar making sure all areas are covered.

Place 1/2 cup cold water into a bowl. sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let stand until gelatin softens, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a heavy sauce pan place the sugar, corn syrup, salt and remaining 1/2 cup cold water. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Cover the pan with a lid and let boil for about 3 minutes to allow any sugar crystals to dissolve from the sides of the saucepan. Remove the lid and attach the candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Increase the heat to high and boil, with out stiring, until the syrup reaches 240 degrees, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

With the mixer running at low speed, slowly pour the hot syrup into the gelatin mixture in a thin stream down the side of the bowl. Gradually increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture has tripled in volume and is very thick and stiff, about 11 minutes, (looks like marshmallow fluff). Add the vanilla extract and beat to combine, about another 30 seconds.

Scrape the marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan and spread with a spatula coated in nonstick spray. Smooth out the best you can as the mixture will be sticky. Dust the marshmallows with powdered sugar.

To remove the marshmallows from the pan run a small sharp knife around the edge of the marshmallows. Invert the pan onto a large cutting board that has been dusted with powdered sugar. Cut the marshmallows using a sharp knife coated in powdered sugar. Coat the cut marshmallows in more powdered sugar. Shake off excess sugar and store them in and air tight container for up to two weeks (if you can keep them around that long.)