Homemade Chocolate Covered Marshmallows with Crushed Peppermint

Instructions

1. Spray a 9×13-inch pan or a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and dust with powdered sugar. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, pour ½ cup of the cold water. Sprinkle the gelatin powder over the water and let it sit for about 10 minutes while you prepare the next steps.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining ½ cup of water, the sugar, corn syrup and salt over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then stop stirring. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to 240 degrees F, using a candy thermometer to check. If you don’t have a candy thermometer you might be able to use a clean meat thermometer. (My parents sent me this candy thermometer spatula earlier this year and it has been perfect for marshmallow and caramel making.)
4. Once the mixture reaches 240 degrees, remove it from the heat. Turn the electric mixer with the gelatin mixture on a low speed and carefully stream the hot sugar mixture into the bowl while the mixer is running. Beware of hot sugar that might splatter if you pour it too quickly or into the whisk! Add the peppermint extract and gradually increase the speed of the mixer to high. Beat on high for about 8-10 minutes, or until white and very fluffy. The mixture should have tripled in volume and will look like marshmallow cream at this point.
5. Spread the marshmallow fluff into your prepared pan. Dust the top of the marshmallows with powdered sugar and let rest for 8 hours, or overnight.
6. After they have set, coat a sharp knife with nonstick cooking spray (this makes cutting cleaner and easier) and cut the marshmallows into cubes. Roll each marshmallow in a bit of powdered sugar to keep them from sticking to each other. If you are not coating them in chocolate and peppermint right away, store the marshmallows in an airtight container until you are ready to use them.
7. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or wax paper. Pour your crushed candy canes or crushed peppermint in a small bowl.
8. In a medium microwaveable bowl, melt your chocolate by heating it for 1 minute in the microwave, stirring halfway through. Continue to heat the chocolate and stir in 10-second increments until it is fully melted.
9. Tap the powdered sugar off of a marshmallow and dip it in the melted chocolate. The powdered sugar can prevent the chocolate from sticking to the marshmallow. If you are having trouble with the chocolate sticking, try spreading it onto the marshmallow with the back of a spoon. Holding the chocolate-dipped marshmallow over the peppermint bowl, sprinkle crushed peppermint on all of the chocolate covered areas. Place the finished marshmallow on your prepared pan. Repeat these steps with all of the marshmallows you want to cover.