Hello honeys.
I hope you had a great week! I know I did. I learned lots of new things. I got to be trained by one of the best cakers in the Valley on Friday; it was a blast. Female entrepreneurs inspire me so much, but none more so than the wonderful Tricia and Hazel Arce. These two women are the epitome of success and growth stemming from passion, drive, and dreams.
I have the great honor of working with these hard working ladies. I have learned so much from them; more than just how to make a great marshmallow. Their dedication to their dream, their customers, and to their staff is a shining example of Gold Star business owners.
I was able to pick up a copy of Tricia's book Marshmallow Heaven as a guide for today's post. I will share snippits with you, however, if you want the full recipes and stories, order yours here. (Orders of $15 or more gets 15% off for the next few days)
So, why did I pick marshmallows today? Well, my step family is from England and they (my family) enjoy their tea. I wanted to create a dessert for my Step-mom and Step-grandma that would remind them of the Motherland and was a bit of a challenge to me. I've made marshmallows before, sure, but infusing tea with them? This was a new challenge. Especially because I'd never had Earl Grey tea before. *GASP* I know. The thing with marshmallows is that even the smallest deviation can change the outcome of your marshmallow.
Lets get on, shall we?
First, we prep. Get a 9x9 pan and spray it with pan spray. Wipe and spread it all over the pan, but make sure none pools in the corners. Then line the pan with powdered sugar. Next, in your stand mixer bowl, place your water and gelatin. Use your whisk attachment to dissolve the gelatin. I infused my water in this step with Earl Grey tea to help bring in the flavor. In a medium (and I mean medium, I accidentally used a small and made a huge mess, almost turned on the smoke alarms....) put in your sugar, water, and syrup. Most recipes call for corn Syrup, but you can use simple syrup, or I used honey. It gave the marshmallows an added little flavor. I also infused the tea into the water I used for this step. Using a candy thermometer, heat up your sugar mix on a med-high setting till it hits 240 degrees F. Pour the hot mix into the mixer bowl and turn your mixer on to the lowest setting. Mix until gelatin is completely dissolved. During this time, whip up your egg whites until you can hold the bowl upside down, over your head.
**Note: Egg whites are VERY stubborn, so make sure there is nothing else in the bowl, grease or other food particles will keep the eggs from whipping correctly.
Once your egg whites are stiff, turn off your mixer, lower the bowl (or lift the top) and place them in. put the bowl back into place and turn your mixer on to the 3rd setting. You want the eggs to incorporate into the mixture. You will see it all become one color. Now crank that bad boy up to the highest setting and let it go. Continue whipping till it starts to come off the sides, gets tacky looking, and is lukewarm. Typically 12-15 minuets but each mixer is different! (Just like every oven is different) This is where I added 3 drops of black gel food color for the Earl Grey. For the Lavender, I kept the water with no flavor, but added 3 drops (THATS ALL YOU NEED) of Lavender oil into the mix, as well as 4 drops of purple gel food color. Take the bowl off the mixer and pour into your 9x9 pan. Spread the marshmallow into the corners first, then fill and flatten with a high heat spatula as you go. Sprinkle some powdered sugar on top and set in a cool dry place to set for 5-6 hours.
After this, what you do with it is up to you. Eat it straight, plop it in some hot coffee or tea, roast that bad boy in the bonfire. The options are endless. I took my lavender marshmallow and spread it out in a thin pan. I then used cookie cutters to cut out adorable flower shapes to take to my step-family's house for Mother's day. Sorry Fam if you're reading this. I spoiled the surprise.
I really enjoyed having the Marshmallow Heaven book as a companion with me through the making madness. Inside the book are some of the Toasted Mallow's best selling treats including; Home Made Graham Crackers, Marshmallow Whip, and many more. Not only do you get to make these delectable desserts, but inside, Tricia talks about why she started, what she's learned, and what keeps her going. With no culinary experience, the path of marshmallows was gifted to her by her late grandmother. In her book she says, "I had been mourning the loss of my grandmother, and for the first time, in my kitchen, I wasn't." She goes on to say, "Making my first marshmallow catapulted me to want to be more, to create more, to have more of a marking in this short life we live." Boy has she left her mark too. Her store in Gilbert, Arizona has been featured on Insider, BuzzFeed, Food Network, and so many more media outlets. The people who come in, families spending a Friday night together, a couple's first date, a marshmallow lover's dream, gluten-free diets being able to enjoy treats like everyone else, they are all making memories here that they will cherish forever.
As Tricia often says, "Marshmallows make dreams happen."
I hope all of your dreams turn to goals, that turn into success. Stay Sweet and Happy Mother's Day.
The Sugar Siren