A friend brought me some homemade apple cider and an I couldn’t stop thinking about the idea of marshmallows combined with apple cider after how good the pumpkin spice ones turned out!
I made a couple batches and while each was good they were good in different ways. One batch I used brown sugar instead of white granulated sugar and they were more tart, like a granny smith apple. Half of the house liked them, the other half not so much. (I am obsessed with tart green apples so I’m pretty biased)
I made one batch with apple cider I had reduced by half and another with thawed frozen apple juice concentrate. Both had an apple flavor, the apple cider tasted more like… well, cider. Less like juice. For a stronger apple flavor use boiled cider, which is reduced down even more.
I went light on the spices and omitted vanilla so the apple flavor didn’t get overwhelmed as well.
Left undipped these were wonderful apple cider marshmallows.. I put them in hot cocoa with caramel sauce and they were so good!
But I found salted caramel candy melts at JoAnn’s and couldn’t resist.
They even have a built in handle to swirl in hot chocolate!
Caramel Apple Marshmallows
Ingredients
- 2 pkgs unflavored gelatin (about 2 T)
- 2 cups apple cider, divided*
- 1 1/2 c sugar*
- 1 cup corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- *To dip:
- WIlton salted caramel candy melts
- red candy melts
- Pretzel sticks, broken in half
Instructions
- Boil the apple cider until it reduces by half then cool.
- Place 1/2 cup of the boiled cider in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the gelatin on top.
- Combine in a small saucepan the remaining 1/2 cup boiled cider, sugar, and corn syrup.
- Put heat on high and stir occasionally with a wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved.
- Clip a candy thermometer onto the pan and continue cooking until it reaches 240 degrees F, without stirring, which should take about 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately remove from the heat.
- Fit mixer with a whisk attachment and turn on high.
- While running, slowly pour in the sugar syrup into the gelatin. Add the spices while whipping.
- Continue to whip until mixture becomes thick and cools to lukewarm, about 12 to 15 minutes.
- Mix together the cornstarch and powdered sugar.
- Spray a 9? square pan with nonstick spray and coat with cornstarch mixture. (Save the extra)
- Spread marshmallow in pan, using a greased spatula.
- Dust with more cornstarch mixture.
- Let marshmallows sit for at least 3 or 4 hours, or overnight, uncovered.
- Turn marshmallows out onto a cutting board, gently pulling out of pan if needed.
- Liberally dust with remaining cornstarch mixture (Just use powdered sugar if you ran out)
- Using a greased pizza wheel, cut into squares.
- Store in a ziplock or airtight container for a few weeks.
- To dip dust off excess powdered sugar and spread a small amount of melted red candy melts on top. While wet insert half of a pretzel stick in center. Set aside to set up. Melt caramel candy melts and holding marshmallows by the pretzel “stems” swirl in, coming up over the red just slightly. Set aside to set up.
*Boiled apple cider (homemade or purchased will give an even stronger apple flavor. You can also use thawed but still cold frozen apple juice concentrate (undiluted). Candy apple flavoring could also be used. For a really tart apple flavor replace the white sugar with brown sugar.
