Homemade Chocolate Marshmallows

It’s taken me a long time to try my hand at homemade marshmallows. In part, because I’ve been scared to cook with gelatin. (Is it my imagination or does gelatin smell?) The good news for those of you who are also afraid to cook with gelatin is (and I can attest to this) that homemade marshmallows are very easy to make. (Except for the part where you coat in powdered sugar – that part of the recipe is a bit putzy.)I’m not sure how I feel about chocolate marshmallows. I think I might be more of a marshmallow purist in that I don’t really like/want flavored marshmallows. But I made these marshmallows to go with white chocolate hot chocolate, so a contrasting color seemed appropriate. Go ahead and impress yourself and your friends by making the below recipe.

ingredients.

Non-stick cooking spray
⅓ c. plus ½ c. unsweetened cocoa powder (I used a mixture of black onyx cocoa powder and the regular kind)
3 (.25-oz) envelopes gelatin
1½ c. granulated sugar
1 c. corn syrup
½ c. confectioners’ sugar

directions.

Line an 8-inch-square baking dish with foil, then coat inside with cooking spray.
Whisk ⅓ cup cocoa powder with ⅓ cup hot water in a bowl until dissolved.
Combine gelatin with ½ cup water in a separate large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Beat cocoa mixture into gelatin mixture with an electric mixer on low speed until just combined.
Combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, and ½ cup water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and cook 8 minutes (do not stir). Remove saucepan from heat and immediately pour hot sugar mixture into gelatin mixture; beat on low speed until combined. Increase speed to high and beat until thick and fluffy, 10 minutes.
Pour mixture into prepared baking dish, using fingers to smooth top. Combine ½ cup cocoa with confectioners’ sugar; sprinkle some cocoa mixture over top. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature at least 6 hours.
Put remaining cocoa mixture into a gallon-size Ziploc plastic bag or large bowl. Cut marshmallow into cubes and drop them into plastic bag or bowl; toss to coat with cocoa mixture. Store in Ziploc bag at room temperature.