Food Friday ~ Marshmallow Bunnies!

Friday, April 8, 2011

Hello, it’s Kylie here! - and for today’s Food Friday post I’m sharing a little Easter treat that I’ve enjoyed since I was very little… Marshmallow Bunnies! Mmmm, light and fluffy and extra yummy!

Easter is just around the corner and with the inevitable onslaught of all that chocolate, it’s actually nice to have something sweet that isn’t of the chocolate variety… just for a change! Although, come to think of it, chocolate and marshmallow go extremely well together… hmmm, perhaps another recipe for another time…! :o)

It’s been a few years since I made these cute little bunnies, but it was a nice time to dust off the recipe and whip up a batch. And, they really are so quick and easy to make, and heaps of fun, too! Here are the ingredients:

•  3 teaspoons of gelatine (powdered)
•  125ml (4 fl oz) hot water
• 60ml (2 fl oz) cold water
• 150g (5 oz) caster (superfine) sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla essence, or any other flavouring you’d like to use – strawberry, peppermint, lemon, orange, etc. – you may only need a couple of drops depending on your chosen flavour, so vary the quantity of flavouring in line with personal preference.
• food colouring – your choice (to be used for both the marshmallow mix and for painting – both are optional) – if you intend to leave the mixture white then you can add a couple of drops of lemon juice or white vinegar to keep the marshmallow nice and extra-white!
• desiccated coconut (dried coconut shreds) – enough to cover all bunnies

You will need 6 x 125ml (4 fl oz) Bunny Moulds (or Molds, depending on where you come from!) for this recipe. Plastic Bunny Moulds, or the like, can be found in general kitchenware shops (especially this time of year) or specialty cake/confectionery suppliers, or you may have to try a Google search. I only have 2 x 125ml moulds and 12 x 25ml moulds, so I had a little mixture left over. I just spread the remaining marshmallow into a small slice tin that I had lined with non-stick baking paper. Once set, I cut it into little squares and rolled each square in some desiccated coconut. You could also do this if you don’t have any specialty moulds – just as fun and just as yummy!

Here is how to make your bunnies, plus some handy tips:

• Lightly oil all the moulds with a little cooking oil spray. This will help the marshmallow come out of the mould in one piece. I also use a sheet of paper towel to lightly wipe the inside of each mould – 1. to even out the oil and 2. to wipe away any excess oil, especially in the ear cavities.
• Chill moulds until needed.
• Place sugar and cold water into a large bowl. Beat for 5 minutes with electric mixer.
• Add gelatine to hot water and stir briskly until dissolved. While hot, add to the cold sugar mix and beat on high speed until thick and white. This will take up to approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Or, as a guide, when the mixture holds a figure 8 it is ready. It is best not to over whip, as the thicker the mixture is, the harder it is to fill all the tiny ridges in the moulds (like the ears and back).
• Add preferred colour and flavour, beat to combine.
• Pour immediately into chilled moulds. Run the back of a knife or spatula over the mould to ensure the base of the bunny is flat. Tap the mould to get rid of any air bubbles and refrigerate until firm. (Remember to leave the moulds resting upside down, otherwise the mixture will just run out!)
• When the marshmallow is fully set, you can ease the bottom edge of the bunny away from sides of the mould with your finger. Turn the moulds upside down and continue to gently pull all the marshmallow away from the sides and it will slip out without any trouble at all.
• Paint the eyes, ears and whiskers with food colouring. You could also outline the tail and legs, too - or even paint a flower on its side– be as creative as you like! (A fun activity for the kids!!) Please use a food-safe paint brush, or a wooden toothpick is a good alternative.
• Sit the bunny in coconut and carefully sprinkle coconut over it. Gently pat the marshmallow with your hand to help the coconut stick.

 I hope you enjoy making these cute little bunnies or even just the marshmallow itself!  Here is a 4×6 recipe card I created especially for YOU so that you can make them at home for Easter, or anytime you wish! Just click on the image to download (or click HERE)!

See you all back here for Layout of the Week on Monday! And in the meantime, have a sweet, sweet weekend!! :o)

KylieFood Stuff, Free (not desktops), Uncategorized 9 Comments