Watermelon Mallow Cookies

I can't believe that it's September! I totally meant to post these cookies weeks and weeks ago. Why? Watermelon screams summer. Watermelon does not say "pumpkin spice latte," "cozy sweaters" or "chilly evenings." Sorry, I have a good reason! I'll be sharing more on that later. For now...

Check out these cute cookies!  So adorable!

I had this image in my mind at the beginning of the summer. I was dreaming of a watermelon mallomar with cute black seeds and bright green cookie. After two weeks of searching for candy coated seeds, I gave up and stopped by my favorite NYC baking shop and picked up these black sugar pearls. And hot pink sanding sugar. So Pink!

These cookies are just a new take on my traditional mallomar cookie. Now, I know they aren't a true mallomar, since they aren't coated in chocolate (FYI, I can't wait until the classic mallomars hit the grocery shelves soon!!!). I decided last year that I didn't like to coat my flavored cookies in chocolate. Why? They just taste like chocolate! The flavor of the marshmallow is so subtle, the chocolate flavor just overpowers the marshmallowy flavor.

So, if you aren't sick of summer yet (if you are... seriously? Summer is awesome), give these cookies a try! You will most likely need to pick up some things at the store or online (i.e. - Watermelon candy oil, pink sanding sugar, bright green food coloring & black sugar pearls). Have fun making these, they're super fun!

Once Year Ago: Sour Apple Fruit Chews
Two Years Ago: Homemade Coconut milk & Thai Chili Sauce
Three Years Ago: Italian Sweet & Sour Chicken
Four Years Ago: Chilled Asparagus Salad

Watermelon Mallomars

A Wilde Original

Warning, these cookies will make your entire house smell like watermelon. But not real watermelon. Candy watermelon! If you don't like the flavor of a watermelon Jolly Rancher, these cookies might not be for you. I was toying with the idea of making the marshmallow out of watermelon juice, but didn't think the flavor would be powerful enough to shine through the sugar. Maybe that's a plan for next summer!

Almond Cookies

I used the French almond sugar cookie recipe that I always use for mallomars. Follow the recipe in this link and just add some green food coloring at the end of the dough mixing. Roll it out just like in that recipe and you're good to go! Let the cookies cool before adding the marshmallow and decorating.

Watermelon marshmallow

Adapted from Marshmallows

For the gelatin bloom
1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons cold water
1 dram watermelon candy oil (Use the concentrated stuff)
3 tablespoons unflavored gelatin (I use Knox powdered gelatin)

For the sugar syrup
3/4 cup water
1 1/4 cups corn syrup
pinch kosher salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

For the mallomars
1 cup small hot pink sanding sugar

In a small bowl, whisk together water and birthday cake flavoring.  Add gelatin and whisk until smooth.  Let sit while you prepare the sugar syrup.

In a 4-quart pot, combine all four ingredients for the sugar syrup.  Bring to a boil and cover with a lid.  Let boil for 2 minutes (this will wash down any sugar crystals from the walls of the pot).  Uncover the pot and clip on your candy thermometer.  Heat to 250 F.  Remove from heat and add bloomed gelatin.  Whisk until the gelatin is incorporated.

Pour mixture into the bowl of your stand mixer and turn it up!  Beat the sugar mixture on high for 10 minutes, until bright white and fluffy.  Transfer marshmallow batter to a piping bag with a 1-cm tip.

Pipe blobs of marshmallow onto the cooled cookie rounds.  Let marshmallow set for 30 minutes. Add three or four black sugar pearls and dunk in sanding sugar.  Be sure all the marshmallow is coated in sugar, this will keep them from sticking to each other.  Revel in your work, they are so adorable!!!

CTB 2014 - Williams Sonoma - New York

I have two full containers of corn meal in my cupboard. I was making pizza and bought some. Then I was making another pizza and bought another one. What's a girl to do with all that corn meal? 

Make fried polenta!

This stuff is so freaking good. It's a side that takes a bit of preparation, but it's totally worth it. 

I made a similar recipe many many years ago, when I was still in grad school. When I happened on this recipe in the Williams-Sonoma - New York City cookbook, I knew that I had to make them again. Especially since this recipe was classed up with mushrooms and mascarpone cheese. 

You should definitely make this for dinner. It's ah-mazing!

CTB 2014 - Marshmallow Madness!

I hate to admit this, but I haven't sat by a campfire in 4 years. The last time I sat with friends and toasted marshmallows was the summer of 2010. Weeks away from picking up once again and moving from Boulder, Colorado to New Haven, Connecticut, I just spent the day on the reservoir with my fitness family.

With the sun setting over the Rocky mountains, we settled into foldout chairs with fuzzy blankets and bags of marshmallows, graham crackers and Hershey bars. I learned that the best way to enjoy a s'more is to stuff a Milk Dud into the center of a marshmallow before toasting it. Chocolate, caramel and marshmallow. So amazing.

Since moving from Boulder to the East coast, I haven't found myself in the presence of a campfire. You aren't really allowed to start fires in an apartment building. In order to fully enjoy this summer, I wanted to recreate a summertime treat in my kitchen. No fire required.

This s'mores cupcakes was the perfect way to reminisce, without setting fire to my kitchen. Though I'm not going to lie, there totally was a series of small fires when I made these beauties. Did you know that cupcake liners are flammable? When toasting the marshmallow frosting, be careful not to light the actual cupcake on fire!