Boy, do I love a good bonfire. Growing up in a kind of pyromaniac family (not really, but we do enjoy a good fire), there were many weekends that there was some sort of burn going on outside. My parents would often burn brush or simply start a fire so we could all sit around it and chill. There is something magical about sitting around a fire at night outside, looking at the stars, eating a s'more, and telling stories or just being still in the moment.
I bet you can guess what makes a bonfire even more special - homemade marshmallows!!
Ever since I started blogging and getting crazy serious about food I have been wanting to make homemade marshmallows. I have read all over the internet on different blogs and on social media how easy they are to make. Everyone was right! They are so simple and incredibly fun! Plus, everyone who tries them will be super impressed by the fact that they are homemade.
A little warning though: once you try making marshmallows from scratch, it will ruin store bought marshmallows for you forever.
Once you get the technique down, there is no limit to the amount of combinations you could try. For these I decided to go with peppermint, which pair perfectly with chocolate in s'mores or with hot chocolate. They are so festive for the holidays too - I am definitely making them again to give out to family and friends!
While this time of year is probably the busiest time of year for most of us, I think it's important to slow down and enjoy the moment as much as possible. Having this bonfire outside at my parent's house in the Texas hill country, sipping on a good glass of wine, and making s'mores with family and friends reminded me of what is truly important in this season! I hope this encourages you to create a moment like this with your loved ones and spend some quality time with them.
The idea for a bonfire with family and friends came together when Sheep Thrills reached out to me about incorporating their wine into an adventure setting. Coming from Abruzzo, Italy, these affordable and easy-drinking wines are the perfect accompaniment for any outdoor adventure. They were the perfect pairing for our chocolate and marshmallow s'mores!
Peppermint Marshmallows
makes about 20 2-inch marshmallows
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons (3 packets) gelatin
- 1 cup cold water, divided
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar for sprinkling
Directions
Grease a 9x13" pan with cooking spray or neutral oil, making sure to evenly coat the corners and sides. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup of the cold water. Stir just until combined, and set aside to allow the gelatin to bloom.
In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, combine 1/2 cup of water, sugar, corn syrup and salt. Stir and cook until the sugar dissolves.
Raise the heat to high and continue to cook, without stirring, until the temperature reaches 240°F on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat.
Whisk the gelatin mixture on low speed and slowly pour in the sugar syrup mixture onto the softened gelatin. Increase the speed to high and whip until mixture becomes very thick and fluffy. This will take anywhere from 3-10 minutes depending on the mixer you are using. Beat until mixture is fluffy and temperature has cooled down enough to handle.
Add in the extracts, and stir for another minute until combined.
Pour marshmallow mixture into prepared pan and spread with a spatula until smooth on top. Sprinkle the confectioners sugar on top, and cover with plastic wrap and set aside overnight to allow to set.
The next day, run a very sharp knife under cold water and cut into squares. Alternatively, you can use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Marshmallows will be sticky so just run your knife under water in between each cut. Enjoy!
*recipe adapted from king arthur flour
This bonfire came together thanks to Sheep Thrills - an Italian wine all about adventure. Thank you to Sheep Thrills for sponsoring this post! All opinions are mine.
