Make your own Graham Crackers and Marshmallows

Hi friends

I've been slightly under the weather, sorry I missed posting yesterday, but my life is pretty crazy around this time of the year.

 

Lets talk homemade Graham Crackers and Marshmallows

Yesterday I surprised my Mother. She is off of work because of a bad fall, so I drove down to Vacaville unannounced, used my key, and walked right in. She was so happy she almost cried. I enjoy surprising people, it's kind of my thing. I like bringing happiness to others, especially people I love.


I lugged all of the ingredients for my graham crackers and marshmallows to her house, and we made them together. Well, we sort of made them together, she iced her knees and found a great Christmas movie for us to watch, while I cooked. 

It was a great great day. Sort of an cooking adventure.
 
Enjoy the recipes and pictures

Graham Crackers

I had a hard time finding graham flour. I finally found it at a specialty store in Vacaville. I didn't realize it is a healthy wheat based flour, which is much better then other flours.

1-1/2 cups graham flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
5 tablespoons water
5 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract  
Parchment paper

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375 degrees

Process graham flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in food processor until combined

I used a mixer and it worked just fine

Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal

Add water, molasses and vanilla and process until dough comes together

Divide dough into quarters, working with 1 piece of dough at a time (keeping remaining pieces covered with plastic wrap) roll out dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper into 11 by 8-inch rectangle, 1/8 inch thick

none of my dough came out in a perfect rectangle so don't worry about being perfect

Remove top piece of parchment and trim dough into neat 10 by 7-1/2 inch rectangle with knife or pastry cutter and then cut rectangle of dough into twelve 2-1/2 inch squares. Prick each square several times with fork  

Slide 2 pieces of rolled and cut dough, still on parchment, onto separate baking sheets. Bake crackers until golden brown and edges are firm, about 15 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking

Slide baked crackers, still on parchment, onto wire rack and let cool completely 

Repeat with remaining 2 pieces of rolled and cut dough

Transfer cooled cracker, still on parchment, to cutting board and carefully break into individual crackers along scored lines. 

Graham crackers can be stored at room temperature in airtight container for up to 2 weeks

Makes 48 crackers

Make today, enjoy immediately

 

 Marshmallows

2/3-cup confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)

1/3 cup cornstarch

1 cup cold water

2-1/2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin

2/3 cup light corn syrup

2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

vegetable spray

food thermometer

foil

Make foil sling for 13 by 9 inch baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Spray with vegetable oil spray

Whisk confectioners sugar and cornstarch in small bowl; set aside

Pour 1/2 cup cold water into bowl of stand mixer, fitted with whisk. Sprinkle gelatin over water. Let stand until gelatin becomes very firm, about 15 minutes

Combine corn syrup and remaining 1/2 cup of cold water in medium saucepan

Pour granulated sugar and salt into center of saucepan (do not let sugar hit pan sides) bring to boil over medium-high heat, and cook gently swirling saucepan until sugar has dissolved completely and mixture registers 240 degrees, 6 to 8 minutes

Turn mixer speed to low and carefully pour hot syrup into gelatin mixture, avoiding whisk and bowl

Gradually increase speed to high and while until mixture is very thick and stiff, 10-12 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Add vanilla and mix until incorporated about 15 seconds

Working very very very quickly

scrap mixture evenly into prepared pan using greased rubber spatula, smoothing top. Sift 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar and cornstarch mixture over pan

Cover and let sit overnight at room temperature until firm

Lightly dust cutting board with 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar mixture and lightly coat chefs knife with oil spray. 

Turn marshmallow slab out onto cutting board and peel off foil. Sift 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar mixer over slab

Cut into 1-inch-wide strips and then cut crosswise into 1-inch squares. 

Working with 3 or 4 marshmallows at a time, toss marshmallows in bowl with remaining confectioners sugar mixture, then toss in strainer to remove excess powder

Marshmallows can be stored at room temp in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

This is only one strip of marshmallows its going to take me a while to cut up all these marshmallows. I'll have more pictures for you all tomorrow

 Makes about 90 marshmallows

Make today enjoy tomorrow

My boyfriend went nuts for these. We usually avoid sweets, but he just couldn't stop eating them. Now I need to find a way to feature my homemade graham crackers, I need to make sure

Marshmallows

These were fun to make and fun to eat. You have to move super fast because it firms up on you pretty fast.
I found all these recipes in this magazine:

It's pretty informative with recipes on how to make your own jelly, ketchup, ricotta cheese, ritz butter crackers and much much more. 

This will become a staple in my kitchen. 

http://www.americastestkitchen.com/
 

They have a cooking show in Saturday mornings I used to watch every now and again, but there is nothing like tackling the unimaginable.

I heart Americas Test Kitchen

Let's talk workout update

So far my new workout routine is going great. I can already see and feel some results. My entire body feels a lot stronger and a lot leaner, which is the goal. There is no such thing as spot training. I try to concentrate on my core, but to get the results I desire full body workouts are the only thing that's going to work.
I've switched from only riding the spin bike to adding the elliptical and stair-master into the mix. My body is enjoy the change and the challenge.  

I hoping to post some HOT full body pics soooooon.

That's all today.
Blessing friends
Mary