Featured Recipe
Marshmallow Chocolate Cookies
By Kate
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Crunchy shortbread cookies topped with fluffy homemade marshmallow and dipped in smooth bittersweet chocolate. Adjusted sugar and flour quantities for balanced texture. Substituted honey for corn syrup to deepen flavor; light cream replaces water to enrich marshmallow. Steps reordered to optimize prep and cooling times while ensuring clean chocolate dip and set. Timing cues emphasize visual and tactile feedback rather than strict clock watching. Techniques include proper dough chilling to avoid spreading, recognizing marshmallow between soft peaks and stiffness, and tempering chocolate without overheating to avoid bloom. Yield about two to three dozen treats, adapted for home kitchens without fancy equipment.
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Prep:
45 min
Cook:
15 min
Total:
Serves:
2 to 3 dozen
cookies
baking
desserts
chocolate
marshmallow
Introduction
Shortbread cracked, little specks of butter peeking through the unbaked dough. Sweet, slightly nutty aroma drifts, promises layered texture once bakes. Marshmallow made from cream floods aromas heavier and rounder than plain water. Honey replaces syrup, brings warmth and stick, makes those pillowy clouds cling better. Chocolate melting slowly, cloves gently in steam heat. You watch, stir, teeth once ready set. Timing adjusted to actual look and feel, not stopwatch slave. You tap cookie edges, see golden rim, give marshmallow fluff enough whip, dip seamlessly without fuzz or drop. Classic combo, but with childhood nostalgia bent into modern kitchen tweaks. Recipes never static, they breathe with tapping, whisking, cooling, popping sounds.
Ingredients
Shortbread Cookies
- 150 ml (2/3 cup) all-purpose flour, unbleached
- 45 ml (3 tbsp) granulated sugar
- 3 ml (3/4 tsp) baking powder
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) fine sea salt
- 50 ml (3 tbsp plus 1 tsp) unsalted butter, cold diced
- 1 whole egg
- 3 ml (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract
- 12 ml (2 1/2 tsp) gelatin powder
- 45 ml (3 tbsp) heavy cream
- 100 ml (7 tbsp) granulated sugar
- 25 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) honey
- 3 ml (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract
- 200 g (7 oz) bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped
Homemade Marshmallow
Chocolate Coating
About the ingredients
Flour quantity trimmed slightly for more tender bite, sugar cut down to prevent marshmallow sweetness clash. Butter remains cold, diced smaller for efficient cutting in processor; keeps dough flaky not greasy. Heavy cream swaps for water in gelatin mix to add silk and richness, smooth mouthfeel. Honey replaces corn syrup for complex sweetness and better marshmallow stretch. Vanilla tightly measured—too much turns bitter here. When selecting chocolate, opt for finely chopped bars, prevents scorching. Baking powder minimal—just enough for light lift, not rise. Salt balances sweetness and evokes flavor depth. Substitutes: can swap honey with light agave for similar texture. Use coconut oil solid for butter if dairy-free, but expect softer cookie. Gelatin can be replaced with agar powder but texture will be less pillowy. Precise measuring key for marshmallow sugar stage; candy thermometer recommended but learn to watch syrup bubble patterns if no tool.
Method
Shortbread Cookies
- 1. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in food processor. Pulse to blend evenly. Add cold butter cubes. Pulse until coarse crumbs form—tiny pea-sized pieces are perfect for flaky texture. Avoid overprocessing: want sandy, not paste.
- 2. Add egg and vanilla. Pulse briefly just until dough barely clumps. Overmixing means tough cookies. Dump dough on floured surface. Lightly knead into disk. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Chill minimum 40 minutes. Reason: cold butter traps steam in oven yielding tender bite.
- 3. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F) with rack centered. Line baking sheet with parchment. Roll dough to 4 mm thickness. Use 4.5 cm round cutter. Transfer shapes gently; no stretching. Space cookies about 3 cm apart.
- 4. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Look for subtle golden edges, pale centers. Resist urge to brown deeply or dry out. Let cool completely on wire rack. Crisp edges and soft center show perfect bake.
- 5. Scatter gelatin over cream in small saucepan. Let bloom 5 minutes—no stirring. Meanwhile, combine sugar and honey in separate pot over medium heat.
- 6. Heat sugar-honey mix until dissolved and syrup just begins to bubble, roughly reaching soft-ball stage (112°C/234°F) if you have a candy thermometer. Remove from burner promptly. Stir gelatin-cream gently until dissolved and smooth.
- 7. Transfer warm syrup to stand mixer bowl. Add gelatin mixture and vanilla. Whip on high speed 8-10 minutes—starts glossy, ends fluffy, thick, but dollops hold shape. Stops before stiff peaks; marshmallow should be soft and pillowy, not hard.
- 8. Fit piping bag with 2 cm plain tip. Fill with marshmallow. Pipe onto cookies, leaving a margin at edges. Fill just enough that marshmallow peaks attractively but won’t ooze.
- 9. Allow marshmallow to set 25-35 minutes at room temperature. Surface becomes slightly matte and no longer sticky to touch.
- 10. Chop chocolate finely. Melt 125 g using double boiler or short bursts in microwave. Remove from heat, stir in remaining 75 g until smooth. Chocolate should be warm, glossy, without lumps or grainy spots—too hot will bloom upon setting.
- 11. Holding cookies by bottom, dip marshmallow-topped side in melted chocolate. Tap gently on side of bowl to shake off excess.
- 12. Place dipped cookies on lightly greased wire rack or parchment-lined tray. Refrigerate 25-35 minutes to set chocolate firmly.
- 13. Remove from fridge 10 minutes before serving to take edge off chill, soften chocolate gloss. Store airtight to prevent marshmallow drying or chocolate sweating.
Homemade Marshmallow
Chocolate Coating
Technique Tips
Start with dry ingredients combined thoroughly before butter addition to avoid clumps. Pulsing short bursts yields best texture—long grinding warms butter causing tough cookies. Dough chilling cannot be skipped—ensures less spreading and firmer cut shapes. Roll on floured surface, but too much flour toughens dough; scrape dough carefully. Baking temperature slightly reduced to avoid rapid browning with larger cutter size. Marshmallow demands patience: gelatin must bloom fully or will result in runny consistency. Whipping with electric mixer until the marshmallow holds soft peaks but remains shiny is your cue—over beating leads to dryness. Honey instead of syrup changes syrup temperature slightly, so watch heat and appearance closely. When melting chocolate, use gentle heat, stirring constantly prevents graininess. Dip immediately after chocolate reaches ideal fluid temp to coat smooth, not thick or drippy. Cooling on wire rack avoids soggy bottoms, refrigerate to harden but allow warming before serving to avoid biting frozen treats. Store airtight away from humidity to prevent marshmallow drying or chocolate blooming.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Chill dough well. Warm dough spreads. 40 minutes minimum. Texture matters. Cold butter keeps it flaky. Don't rush.
- 💡 Watch the marshmallow stage. Soft peaks, hold shape. Too stiff means dryness. Use electric mixer for even fluff. A must.
- 💡 Candy thermometer helpful for sugar mix. But not necessary. Bubble patterns teach timing. Soft-ball stage means it's good.
- 💡 Chocolate melting needs patience. Low heat. Stir constantly. Grainy chocolate ruins dip. Always aim for warm and glossy.
- 💡 Final cooling vital. Dip cookies, let chocolate set. Fridge helps but take out before serving. Warming softens texture.
Kitchen Wisdom
What if cookies spread too much?
Chill dough longer. Work quickly. Handle minimally. Too warm ruins shape.
Can I use another sweetener for marshmallow?
Yes, light agave works. Texture varies slightly. Still fluffy but softer.
Marshmallow isn't setting, why?
Gelatin needs proper bloom. If syrup too cool, it won't whip right. Check temp.
What's the best way to store cookies?
Airtight container necessary. Avoid humidity. Keep in cool place. Prevent drying out.
