Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Toppers

Recipe by Sarah Phillips; Food styling and photos by Kelly Hong © 12-23-2015 Sarah Phillips CraftyBaking.com

INGREDIENTS
1 recipe Homemade Marshmallows; after making, let them sit for 2-3 hours to cool and set.
2-inch round cookie cutter
Powdered sugar, for dusting

4 Parchment paper cones
Black or dark brown candy melts
Orange candy melts
Red candy melts
White candy melts

Red and/or green sparkling sugar
Mini M&Ms

INSTRUCTIONS 
STEP I: CUT THE MARSHMALLOW SHAPE
1. Place the marshmallow slab on a powdered sugar dusted work surface.

2. Cut out rounds, pushing straight down with the 2-inch round cookie cutter.

3. Since the middle of the marshmallows will be less dry than the top and bottom, the middle will shrink in a little. That’s OK.
We are going to decorate the top and the bottom surfaces of the marshmallow.

4. Roll the sides of the marshmallow in powdered sugar so they are no longer sticky.

5. Cut the marshmallow in half, horizontally, with a pair of kitchen shears, being careful to cut it evenly.

5. Coat the cut sides in powdered sugar.

6. Set the marshmallow halves aside, and cover them with plastic wrap until you are ready to decorate.

STEP II: DECORATE THE MARSHMALLOW ROUNDS
You can make them plain, or you can make them fancy, it’s completely up to you!
Before you begin:
1. For this project, you will need to use 4 parchment piping cones to pipe the candy melts.
The beauty of the parchments cones is that they have no metal parts, so you can reheat them in the microwave, when the candy melts begin to solidify.

2. Melt candy melts and place them in parchment cones:

Black/dark brown candy melts for the eyes and mouth

Orange for the nose

Red for the earmuff band

White for the hat band and pompom

For the Plain Snowman Design:

1. Before you start piping the face, make sure the black and orange candy melts are flowing in the parchment paper cones.
If they have hardened, microwave them in their parchment cones for about 10 seconds.
Test the consistency by squeezing out a small amount on a piece of paper towel.

2. Pipe the eyes and mouth with the black candy melts.

3. Pipe the orange carrot nose by starting on the eft side and pulling toward the right, making a carrot shape.

Sparkle Hat Snowman Design:

 

1. Brush the upper third of the marshmallow with water, then press the marshmallow into a plate of colored sugar.
The sugar will only stick on the wet section.

If you have any wayward granules of sugar, just sweep them away with a dry brush.

2. Make sure the white candy melts are fluid. If they have hardened too much, microwave them in their parchment paper cones in the microwave for about 10 seconds.
Test the consistency by squeezing out a small amount on a piece of paper towel.

3. Pipe the white band on the hat, using a circular motion all the way across.
Then pipe a blob at the top of the hat, making the pom pom.

Repeat these steps on as many marshmallows as you prefer.

4. After they are done, pipe on the face, as described in the instructions for the Plain Snowman Design, above.

Earmuff Snowman Design:

1. Remelt the candy melts in their parchment paper cones in the microwave for about ten seconds.
Test the consistency by squeezing out a small amount on a piece of paper towel.

2. Pipe on the face, following the instructions with the Plain Snowman Design, above.
Then pipe a red band on the upper edge of the marshmallow.

3. Place a dot of candy melts on the bottom of the band and set two mini M&Ms in place, forming the earmuffs.
NOTE: Be sure to use the side of the M&M that doesn’t have the M on it.

STORAGE
Store the finished marshmallows in an airtight lidded container, with sheets of waxed paper between the layers.