Since getting married to a health nut, I have slowly been weaned off of sugar. Especially refined sugars. Of course it is the holiday season, and that is the time of the year when you just can’t avoid sugars. Johann requested hot chocolate with marshmallows recently. So off I went to find all the requisite sugars. (Yes mom, we finally have white sugar in the house! :) ) Of course many people are probably asking the question what sugars? Buy some hot chocolate mix and a package of Marshmallows and your done.
So, armed with the list I bought light corn syrup, white sugar and confectioners sugar. The fact that we have been here for over 4 months now and didn’t have any of those in the cupboard (and in fact hadn’t just run out either) tells you something about our sugar intake nowadays. Johann was excited that we were going to make the marshmallows ourselves. He watched as Tammy mixed up everything. Unfortunately the recipe involves very hot sugar syrup and water so he couldn’t actually help mix it up. When the mixture was finished we helped Tammy spread it into the pan and then Johann and I got to lick all the utensils clean. Johann really only took two licks, then I chased Tammy and him around the house with a marshmallow mustache and goatee threatening to kiss them. It was a fun game for all of us.
The next day of course we had to have hot chocolate with fresh homemade marshmallow. The difference between fresh and store bought is like night and day. Once you’ve had homemade, you can never go back. Unfortunately my tolerance for sugar is now very low, even though I do still have a coke a day. Tammy cut the marshmallow brick into 1–2” cubes, then rolled them in confectioners sugar. Johann carried one of the cubes around for about an hour, occasionally licking it, and eventually taking a small nibble from it. That was 3 days ago, tonight he actually dunked a marshmallow in his hot chocolate – which he takes about 2 drinks of then returns to his water or orange juice – then licked and nibbled the chocolate covered marshmallow. He has proclaimed that he finds it delicious, but he never takes more than one small bite. Smart kid.
Unfortunately I always seem to finish his hot chocolate and the extra marshmallow cubes instead of putting them back in the fridge.
Next up on the baking and cooking list are sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies and chocolate chip cookies. Oh boy I’m in trouble.