Peeps!

Tuesday morning is an especially exciting morning for me. It would in fact be my favorite day of the week, if I didn't have to go to work. See, the Oregonian newspaper has a special section called the Food Day every Tuesday and I look forward to it every week. The section focuses on something different each week, such as a special ingredient or ethnic theme. The Food Day contains recipes, food news, classes and workshops, equipment recommendations, and local produce. The week before Easter this year contained multiple dinner recipes such as lamb and scalloped potatoes, but the one that caught my eye was for homemade peeps.

I have only made candy one time before, and that was this past Christmas, in fact I actually made eggnog marshmallows. This marshmallow recipe contained fewer ingredients and had a completely different consistency. Which I assume is due to it being piped instead of just poured into a mold.

I am no expert with a piping bag, so this was going to be quite the adventure. The recipe warns you that you will get very sticky doing this and trust me I did. Also, I don't actually own a piping bag. I used a Ziplock bag with the end cut off. Something that I do not recommend for this. The first 3 peeps I made didn't really look like anything, but the next few started to take the proper shape. That only lasted for about 5 peeps and then the marshmallow got too thick to be able to pipe. So the directions say to microwave for a second then whip it again. I don't know how they expected me to do that. You want me to pipe out the rest, move it into a plastic container, microwave, whip, and then try to get it BACK in the piping bag? Yeah right. So instead I just threw the whole thing in the microwave for a second. This breaks down the structure of the marshmallow, so it needs to cool a little bit before using and still doesn't hold its shape quite as well.

So without further delay, I unveil my peeps!

Ingredients

1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup cold water (divided)

1 packet unflavored gelatin (2 1/2 teaspoons)

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla, or extract of your choosing

1 cup colored sugar for dusting (see note)

A few melted chocolate chips

Instructions

In the bowl of a mixer (or a large mixing bowl, if you're using a hand-held egg beater), place 1/3 cup water and sprinkle the gelatin over it. Set aside for the gelatin to soften.

In a small saucepan, combine the remaining 1/4 cup water and granulated sugar. Stir over a medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. When dissolved, raise the heat to high and bring the syrup to a boil. Continue to boil until the sugar reaches 238 degrees on a candy thermometer (if you don't have a candy thermometer, set up a small dish of cold water and add a drop of the syrup: it's ready when it forms a cohesive but still soft and mold-able ball).

When the syrup is hot enough, pour it into the gelatin mixture. Stir to combine and allow to cool for a few minutes, stirring by hand. Add the extract. Using the whisk attachment of an electric mixer, beat the mixture at a high speed until it forms soft peaks and holds a shape, about 8 to 10 minutes. While the mixture is beating, sprinkle a few plates or tray with a thin layer of the colored sugar.

Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag with a large round opening (or, of you don't have one, a plastic freezer bag with the end snipped off or taped tube of parchment paper). To form the chicks, pipe a small blob of marshmallow onto the colored sugar, drawing the tip of the bag upwards as you release pressure to form the tail. Position the bag on the other side of the chick to form the head, squeezing out a round blob, and pulling outwards as you release pressure to form the beak. If the marshmallow begins to cool off and becomes difficult to shape, place it into a bowl and toss it back in the microwave for half a minute or less, until it warms slightly. Re-beat for another minute and place back in the pastry bag.

Sprinkle the finished chicks with the remaining colored sugar. Let dry and set for a few hours.

To form the eyes, melt a couple of chocolate chips in the microwave of in a pan. Dab on chocolate eyes using a toothpick or the tip of a skewer or just use food coloring on a toothpick. Let dry. Store in an airtight container, or devour immediately.

Note: To make colored sugar, place sugar in a jar with a tight lid and squirt in a few drops food coloring. Immediately screw on the lid before the sugar has a chance to dissolve, and shake shake shake until evenly dispersed. If you'd like the color to be darker, repeat the process.