Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Easter treats - marshmallow rabbits


Whether you are young or just young at heart, you have to admit that marshmallow rabbits are a cute and delicious way to celebrate Easter. I made the family of rabbits (plus one flower) above for my work colleagues and friends.

Unfortunately, being a perfectionist, I was not 100% happy with the marshmallow. I ever so slightly underbeat it, so that the bottoms which were open to the air while the marshmallow set developed a crust, and the gelatine settled out a little at the tops, leaving a "jelly" top. (This actually worked well for the flower, as it highlighted the petals.)



To make marshmallow is a breeze in theory. You need:


1 1/2 tablespoons gelatine
5 tablespoons cold water
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup hot water
food colouring
flavouring

Put the gelatine in a bowl and combine with the cold water. Leave to sit. Bring the sugar and hot water to the boil, then pour over the soaked gelatine. Beat the mixture until thick and white and cool, add colourings and flavourings (if desired) and pour into well-buttered moulds. Allow to set for at least 24 hours before turning out, painting details with food colours and rolling in coconut.

I then covered squares of cardboard with alfoil as platforms for the rabbits, and wrapped them up in clear cellophane tied with a ribbon for an attractive Easter gift:



Happy Easter!!!

15 comments:

Mary said...

Wow those are so cute! Last time I made marshmallows it got all over the place. I wish I had moulds to make them in.

Peter M said...

Cutest littest bunnies...to bad they have to be eaten!

Barbara said...

Good on you. I looked at recipes and thought this looks too hard. They are the cutest bunnies.

Laurie Constantino said...

You are very very clever - these are wonderful. Good job!

Pixie said...

Absolutely adorable, gosh you must have loads of patience! You should enter it into a slice of cherry pie's easter event.

Cakelaw said...

Hi Mary, I say give it another go when you get a chance - the first two times I made it years ago (using another recipe), it was a disaster - didn't set at all!

Thanks Peter. No-one had any trouble with lopping off the heads of these bunnies.

Thanks Barbara. It is really easy to do the basics, but it's the finer points that I am still learning (like how long to beat it!!).

Shucks Laurie - thanks!

Hi Pixie, thanks! The paintng part is kind of fun - it's the child in me.

Rosie said...

Oooooh this is SO cute I adore your Easter Rabbits!! Well done you really are a star :D

Rosie x

Thistlemoon said...

AMAZINGLY CUTE! I love it! :)

Cakelaw said...

LOL - thanks Rosie.

Thanks Jenn - Happy Easter!

Abitofafoodie said...

Those really are the cutest marshmallows I have ever seen!

Cakelaw said...

Hi Antonia - thanks! Really fun to make - but you need to sit down while decorating so that you don't hurt your poor old back.

Anonymous said...

i wish to make this with agar agar i.e chinagrass. is it possible? if yes, how much of china grass would i need?thanks

Cakelaw said...

Hi Anonymous

I found a recipe for vegan marshmallows using agar agar here:

http://www.recipezaar.com/78524

Anonymous said...

hi tried making these, but i couldnt get it to go white and fluffy, i followed the reciepe, so im not sure what went wrong.

Cakelaw said...

Hmmm, Anonymous, that's a tough one - maybe you did not boil the sugar and hot water, or perhaps you did not beat it for long enough (it takes a long time of beating to get marshmallow, but when it changes, it changes fast). If you made the vegetarian ones without the gelatine, it may be that the gar agar didn't work as stated (I have never tried it). Sorry I can't beof further help.