Hot Chocolate On A Stick

 I hope that you enjoyed your holiday and things are slowing down as the New Year arrives. I know that it is for me. The past couple months have been busy with birthdays, work and holiday events. Even though I have been keeping up with baking, cooking and crafting, I unfortunately haven't been updating my blog.

Even though it has been in the high 70's here. I thought that because it's winter and the holidays, Hot Chocolate on a Stick would be the perfect little treat to give out. (I swear it's not because I thought it'd be a good idea to buy 500 wooden skewers!!) I made simple tags saying "Hot Chocolate on a Stick" and on the back of each tag it had instructions. Simply swirl and melt  in 4 to 8 Ounces of warm milk. Snuggle up and Enjoy. Or you can do what a few people I know did with these Hot Chocolate on a Stick and just eat them right off the stick. :)

These are the Wooden Skewers that I bought, but you can use swizzle sticks or anything else.

These Hot Chocolate on a Stick are soft like a truffle, but it still holds its shape. Marshmallows are always best when they are homemade, so skip the store bought bag and make your own. They're softer, lighter, fluffier and of course tastier! I made the chocolate first and than the marshmallow after, but you can make whichever one you want first. 

I love these Hot Chocolate on a Stick because it can be easily customized. You can add crushed peppermint, ground espresso, cayenne or nuts on the top of the chocolate before it sets or you can add drops of flavoring to the chocolate itself.. Or keep the chocolate simple and switch up the marshmallows by making lavender, peppermint or gingerbread marshmallows.

Ingredients

(Adapted from King Arthur Flour)

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 cups milk chocolate (I used Ghirardelli)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate (I used Ghirardelli)
Marshmallows (recipe follows)

Wooden sticks

Directions

1. Line a 8"x8" pan with parchment paper.

2. In a large sauce pan, heat the sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream over low-medium heat until steaming. Remove from heat and add the chocolate, stirring and allowing it to gently melt. 

3. After about 10 minutes, return the chocolate to low heat to completely melt the chocolate. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is thick and shiny. (If adding flavoring to the chocolate, add a few drops of flavoring oil such as hazelnut, coffee, vanilla, peppermint, etc.)

4. Pour the chocolate into the parchment lined pan. Tap or shake the pan gently to level the chocolate. If you are adding any toppings, such as peppermint, cayenne, nuts or espresso, add them here. Place in a cool place to allow the chocolate to set (overnight should be more than long enough). 

5. Remove the chocolate from the pan and turn out onto a cutting board. Score and cut the chocolate into about 1"x1" cubes (Mine were a little off, but that is fine). I also cut the edges of the big 8"x8" square so that the smaller ones would come out with clean edges, you can skip this if you want. If you are having difficulties or want very smooth cuts, use a long, thin knife and heat the knife under hot water, wipe dry and make a few cuts, repeating this process.

5. Place a wooden stick in the middle of a marshmallow and gently slide it up, next place the wooden stick in the middle of a chocolate cube under the marshmallow. Wrap in cellophane and tie closed with curling ribbon. 


For The Marshmallows
(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Ingredients

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

3 1/2 envelopes (2 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin

1 cup cold water, divided

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large egg whites or reconstituted powdered egg whites (I used egg whites)

1 tablespoon vanilla (I used a little less than 1 tablespoon of Vanilla Bean Paste)

Directions

1. Oil bottom and sides of a 13- by 9- by 2-inch rectangular metal baking pan and dust bottom and sides with some confectioners’ sugar.

2. In bowl of a standing electric mixer or in a large bowl sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold cold water, and let stand to soften.

3. In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook granulated sugar, corn syrup, second 1/2 cup of cold water, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240°F, about 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.

4. With standing or a hand-held electric mixer beat mixture on high speed until white, thick, and nearly tripled in volume, about six minutes if using standing mixer or about 10 minutes if using hand-held mixer. (It does take a lot longer with the hand mixer, but for me it worked perfectly fine for me)

5. In separate medium bowl with cleaned beaters beat egg whites (or reconstituted powdered whites) until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat whites and vanilla into sugar mixture until just combined. Pour mixture into baking pan. Sift 1/4 cup confectioners sugar evenly over top. Chill marshmallow, uncovered, until firm, at least three hours, and up to one day.

6. Run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board. Lifting up one corner of inverted pan, with fingers loosen marshmallow and ease onto cutting board. With a large knife trim edges of marshmallow and cut marshmallow into roughly one-inch cubes. 

7. Sift remaining confectioners’ sugar back into your now-empty baking pan, and roll the marshmallows through it, on all six sides, before shaking off the excess and packing them away. Marshmallows keep in an airtight container at cool room temperature 1 week.