Daring Bakers’ Challenge: Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies

 

Husbie is a huge fan of Nabisco’s Pinwheels Pure Marshmallow and Chocolate Cookies.  Alas, the fresh ones are only available in Texas during the winter months because the chocolate won’t melt during shipping.   So he was pleasantly surprised when I presented him with a Pinwheel, freshly made in our own kitchen, the chocolate coating still shiny and warm.

I had never thought of making them before I found out that the Daring Bakers’ Challenge for July was Mallows, a recipe by the Chicago-based pastry chef Gale Gand.  Based on the same concept:  a crisp cookie base, gooey marshmallow filling topped with a dark chocolate glaze - it’s a study in contrasting textures and flavors.  And the best part of it all is that we are enjoying my homemade attempt as we speak, during the hot Houston summer. 

Here’s the company line:  The July Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network. 

Thanks Nicole for choosing this challenge, and as always, thanks to Lis and Ivonne for founding our intrepid group of bakers and always keeping us on our toes!

Mallows (Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies)
Recipe courtesy Gale Gand

My comments are in blue.

About 2 dozen cookies

• 3 cups (375grams/13.23oz) all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (112.5grams/3.97oz) white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 12 tablespoons (170grams/ 6 oz) unsalted butter
• 3 eggs, whisked together

• Homemade marshmallows, recipe follows
• Chocolate glaze, recipe follows

In a mixer with the paddle attachment, blend the dry ingredients.  On low speed, add the butter and mix until sandy.  Add the eggs and mix until combine.  Form the dough into a disk, wrap with Clingfilm or parchment and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
When ready to bake, grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicon mat.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness (my cookie base was on the thick side, so make sure to roll the dough out thin), on a lightly floured surface. Use a 1 to 1 1/2 inches cookie cutter to cut out small rounds of dough.  Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool to room temperature.

Pipe a “kiss” of marshmallow onto each cookie. Let set at room temperature for 2 hours.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment or silicon mat.  One at a time, gently drop the marshmallow-topped cookies into the hot chocolate glaze.  I placed the cookies on a rack over a bowl and spooned the glaze over until the top and sides were covered.  I let them sit for a while to cool and moved them gently with a spatula.  Lift out with a fork and let excess chocolate drip back into the bowl.  Place on the prepared pan and let set at room temperature until the coating is firm, about 1 to 2 hours.

Note: if you don’t want to make your own marshmallows (Cheaters!), you can cut a large marshmallow in half and place on the cookie base. Heat in a preheated 350-degree oven to slump the marshmallow slightly, it will expand and brown a little. Let cool, and then proceed with the chocolate dipping. 

Homemade marshmallows:
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 3/4 cup (168.76 grams/5.95oz) sugar
• 1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
• 2 tablespoons cold water (I used about 2 tablespoons more)
• 2 egg whites , room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a saucepan, combine the water, corn syrup, and sugar; bring to a boil until “soft-ball” stage, or 235 degrees on a candy thermometer.  Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let dissolve.  Remove the syrup from the heat, add the gelatin, and mix.  Whip the whites until soft peaks form and pour the syrup into the whites.  Add the vanilla and continue whipping until stiff.  Transfer to a pastry bag.

Chocolate glaze:
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 2 ounces cocoa butter or vegetable oil

Melt the 2 ingredients together in the top of a double boiler or a bowl set over barely simmering water.  The glaze was easy to pour because was on the thin side, but it didn’t set completely.  Next time I will use less oil.

And if you get tired of the traditional shape, jazz up your selection with some sandwich cookies!

 

  Prijatno!