How to Make a Marshmallow Snowman

How to make a marshmallow snowman

There are lots of fayres around this time of year, and you might also be looking for something to do with the kids.  Look know further,  marshmallow snowmen are what you've been looking for :)

 

For each snowman you will need:

three large white marshmallows

giant chocolate buttons

Rolos

fizzy laces

cooking chocolate

orange candy melts/buttons

a lolly stick

 

 

1. Put the marshmallows on the stick.

 

This picture is a bit on an aside.  When chocolate is banging about in a bag with other chocolates, they rub against each other, and that's what causes the white marks.  If you want your chocolate without these, just rub it with your finger and they disappear :0)

 

2. Make 2 piping bags (you can find out how to do this here http://maries-bakehouse.blogspot.co.uk/2012_12_01_archive.html ) and half fill one with melted chocolate.  I say make with cooking chocolate, then you don't have to worry about tempering it to stop any blooming.

 

 

3. Put a blob of melted chocolate on the giant button, and stick the Rolo to it, to make the hat.

 

 

4. Put a blob of melted chocolate on the top of the marshmallow and stick the hat to it.  Then pipe the details you would like to add to your snowman on the marshmallows- eyes, mouths, buttons, arms...

 

5. Then using the second piping bag you made, melt orange candy melts, or orange flavoured buttons like these, which can be found in most supermarkets.

 

6. Pipe a nose by piping a blob, then pulling the piping bag away to create a point, like a carrot.

 

 

7. Next add the fizzy lace.  Depending on where you buy these from, some will hold like this, others, you will have to tie in a knot.

 

 

8. And if you are making them to sell at a fayre, pop in a bag, and seal with a twist tie :0)

 

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How to make Shred's Mix

This recipe is based on an American recipe, called Chex Mix, which keeps popping up all over my Pinterest feed, so I thought I ought to investigate.  Chex is a cereal, which apparently is pretty similar to our Shreddies.  Hence the name, although if someone can think of another, more suitable one, I'm happy to adopt it.  Just thought it rolled off the tongue better than Malty-wheaty-crunchy-chocolatey-marshmallowy-syrupy-salty-mix. 

I was making this recipe with my daughters, so decided we'd go for melted chocolate rather than the hot caramel sauce I'd seen in a few Chex Mix recipes.  However, this option does sound rather yummy, so I'm sure I'll revisit that recipe to try it too in time.  Shall we get on with the recipe now??

Ingredients:
400g cereal (Shreddies, or similar- we used a supermarket own brand Malt Wheats)
100g light brown sugar
100g baking margarine or butter
100g golden syrup
80g mini marshmallows
200g milk chocolate
80g milk chocolate chips
80g white chocolate chips
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt.

What to do:
1. Put the cereal in a large bowl.

Shreddies- in case anyone wasn't sure......

 

2. Put the light brown sugar, margarine (or butter), golden syrup and milk chocolate into a saucepan and heat gently until it has melted and thoroughly mixed together.

 

3. Pour this mixture over the cereal and mix until the cereal is coated.

 

4. Straight away add the mini marshmallows.  If you leave it too long, the mixture will have started to set and the marshmallows won't stick.

 

5. Spread the mixture onto a sheet of baking paper on a baking tray.  We actually used two and spread them out, but you could manage with one, and just have the mixture set thicker than we did.

 

6. Melt the milk chocolate chips and the white chocolate chips in separate bowls or tea cups, by giving them a 30 second blast in the microwave, and stirring, then popping in for another 30 seconds.  **And here is my top tip** If the chocolate seems too thick to drizzle, add a touch of vegetable oil and mix it in.  Keep adding a tiny bit until the chocolate runs off the spoon.

Then drizzle the milk choclate and white chocolate over the top of the mixture.  I did have a photograph of my little ones demonstrating this, but the camera appears not to have played the game.  New camera this weekend- what can I say, I'm not too great with technology but I'll keep trying.....

 

I know- doesn't look very pretty, but it does taste pretty good...

 

 

7. Sprinkle the coarse sea salt over the top.  Now, this will be trial and error for you, depending on what you like.  I think the addition of the salt really adds to the taste, my other half thinks it would be better without.  I think if you were going to use a caramel recipe rather than the chocolate one it would be even better.  Let me know what you think.

 

8. Leave it to set or, if you can't wait like we couldn't, pop it in the fridge, then break it up into pieces, and have a taste.  It would be best stored in an airtight container, but I shouldn't think you'll have to store it for very long, if you catch my drift ;0)

 

How to make Cranberry and White Chocolate Flapjack

Hello! Thanks for taking the time to come along and read the post! At last, the long awaited first post of Marie's Bakehouse.

So here it is, the recipe to Cranberry and White Chocolate Flapjack.  Really easy, brilliant to make with the children, and incredibly yummy. 

Flapjack is amazingly versatile and you change change the flavourings really easily by changing what you put in them, and/or drizzle on top.  You can exchange the cranberries for cherries, raisins, sultanas, nuts, chocolate chips...whatever you like.

Ingredients
225g (8oz) butter or baking margarine
225g (8oz) light soft brown sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup
350g (12oz) rolled oats
150g (4 1/4 oz) cranberries
100g (3 1/2 oz) white chocolate

Now, although I would agree with using the best ingredients you can afford for some recipes, not all recipes need it, so even if you are baking on a budget there are some recipes which lend themselves to using cheaper ingredients, and the end product is still incredibly yummy.  And this is one of those recipes.  If you are a real lover of butter, then use it in this recipe, but baking margarine will still produce a great taste.  Equally, cheap supermarket own brand porridge oats, cheaper supermarket branded golden syrup and cheap own brand chocolate can still be used in this recipe with fabulous results.  So don't be afraid to use them, and save a few pennies here and there.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees (Gas mark 3), and line a 10" x 8" tin with baking paper. (or a similar size tin will do- don't go out buying another one especially).

 

2. Chop the butter or margarine into chunks and put it in a saucepan, along with the light brown soft sugar, and the golden syrup.  Now in the photographs later, I've put the other ingredients into a bowl, but if you want to cut down on the washing up (and let's face it, who doesn't?), use a large saucepan at this point, and you can add the other ingredients to the pan later, which will save washing up a bowl.
Melt the ingredients together over a low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, so it doesn't burn on the bottom of the pan.

3. Once the ingredients have melted, either add the mixture to the oats and cranberries in a large bowl or, if you are saving on the washing up, add the oats and cranberries to the pan.

4. Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly.

 

5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, and press down firmly to make a roughly even layer.

 

 

6. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes.  Check it after 30 minutes and see what sort of colour it is.  You are looking for a golden colour that is pretty much evenly distributed across the whole bake.  If if isn't, pop it back in again and check in a few minutes.

 

7. Leave it to cool for 10 minutes then lift the whole thing out using the paper to lift it, onto a cooling rack. Now if you aren't drizzling with chocolate, at this stage score the flapjack where you are going to be cutting it.  It'll make it easier to chop up later.  Otherwise, leave it there until it has cooled fully. 
Once cooled, melt the white chocolate in the microwave- on high for 30 seconds, then stir, and continue like that until it has all melted. Then using a teaspoon, drizzle the chocolate all over the top of the flapjack.

8. Once the chocolate has set, chop it up into pieces, and serve to friends and family.  Or if you like it a lot hide it in an airtight container away from prying eyes ;0) It's best eaten within a week, but will last a bit longer, if you've been restrained enough not to eat it all by then....

Let me know if you've had a go at the recipe, and what you thought, and any adaptations that you've made.  Let's share the baking love :0)