Stocking Stuffer Sundays- Caramel Bourbon Marshmallows with Free Downloadable Labels!

Have you ever made marshmallows? And then given them away? I mean you eat a few for yourself first, but then you put some in a cute little box and give them to a friend who’s sick, or stash some into a stocking. And then that person becomes your best friend.

Because homemade marshmallows are amazing.

They are the best ever.

They are soft, squishy, melt-y and most of, flavorful!

These aren’t those strange hardened pieces of sugar from the supermarket. They are filled with whatever your heart desires.

These days,  my heart desires bourbon. Which changes hot chocolate from this super sweet thing into something much more adult, and much more compelling.

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Caramel Bourbon Marshmallows

2 tbsp + ½ tsp Powdered Gelatin

2 cups Sugar

½ cup Corn Syrup

2 Egg Whites

1 tbsp Vanilla Extract

1 tsp Salt

2 oz Bourbon

In a small bowl mix together the gelatin and ½ cup cold water.

Mix ½ cup of water with the corn syrup.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment put the egg whites.

In a medium pot stir together the sugar and another ½ cup of cold water.

Put over medium heat with a lid on.

When the sugar is totally dissolved take the lid off and let the sugar bubble away until a auburn caramel color is achieved. Immediately add in half of the corn syrup mixture. It will bubble and spit like crazy so be careful! Stir for a moment, then put in the rest of the corn syrup.

Put your candy thermometer in and, stirring occasionally, bring it up to 240F.

As the sugar heats up scrape the gelatin mixture in with the egg whites and turn the whisk on medium high.

When the sugar is 240F slowly pour it down the edge of the bowl with the whisk running.

Turn it up to high and keep it running for about 10 minutes, until the mixture is very thick and pillow-y. Stir in the vanilla and bourbon.

While it’s running line an 8 inch square pan with parchment and grease liberally with canola oil.

Pour the marshmallows into the prepared pan and let set for at least 6 hours.

Cut and bag!

 

Stocking Stuffer Sundays- Calvados Caramels

Last Christmas was awful. Beyond that actually, last December was awful. It was single handedly the most stressful month of my working life, I learnt the important lesson of saying no, I can’t do that, albeit too late. And poor Jordan had major hip and knee surgery and couldn’t do much of anything without a lot of assistance. Which is why this year I decided we needed to truly get into the Christmas season and do everything we could do make up for last year.

This means dinner parties with friends, decorating our apartment even though we’ll be out of town for the actual day, and trying to just do little festive things for each other to get us in the spirit.

And then today it snowed! It never snows in Vancouver! I am so excited. It’s a little ridiculous.

Also ridiculous are these calvados caramels. It’s like eating a candy apple, only much richer and unctuous. Little bags of these will be going in everyone’s stocking this year, and while you might be intimidated by any recipe that needs a candy thermometer, I promise these are actually very easy to make. 

Calvados Caramels

3 ½ c Sugar

1/3 cup Corn Syrup

¼ cup Water

200mL Heavy Cream

100mL Apple Cider

100mL Calvados

3 ¼ c Butter, cut into pieces

1 tbsp Salt

Line a baking sheet with parchment, and lightly grease. Put aside.

In a large heavy bottomed pot stir together the sugar, corn syrup and water.

Put a lid on it and bring it to a simmer over medium heat.

Allow all the sugar to dissolve with the lid still on- this helps keep sugar from crystallizing on the edges.

Remove the lid when it’s all dissolved and, without stirring, allow the sugar to caramelize.

When it is a nice auburn colour add in the cream. It will spit and boil like crazy- it’s okay, just be careful!

Add in the apple cider and 50 mL of the calvados. Stir in the butter, piece by piece, with a whisk. DO not stop whisking, this will make sure it’s totally emulsified.

Put in your candy therometer and, while stirring constantly bring the caramel sauce up to 254F

Stir in the remaining calvados (again it will bubble and hiss, again be careful!)

Pour into prepared pan.

Allow to sit for at least 4 hours before cutting and rolling.