Saturday 6 June 2015

Mojito Marshmallows


Ok, so let’s kick off my first post with MARSHMALLOWS! I've been wanting to make marshmallows for a while – and I was not disappointed in the slightest when I did! It was almost magical watching it puff up in front of your eyes. The first batch I made was peanut butter and honey flavour and they were DELICIOUS! I love peanut butter, so anything with it in goes. I also really like honey = bonus! The second batch was mint chocolate chip to please the boyfriend. However, today’s bakes (makes?) have been the best yet....mojito marshmallows – WITH rum. Sha ‘tiiiing! So good.

My little helper:

 I used this book that I received as a present for the recipes. They have lots of different flavours, but the steps do jump around a little so make sure you read the entire recipe first. Despite this, the steps were very straight forward. I especially like making marshmallows as the process is quite slow so you can do all your washing up as you go along so aren’t left with a massive pile of it at the end, which I hate.


So a quick synopsis!

Marshmallow ingredients:
- 2 and a quarter cups caster sugar
- 1 tbsp glucose syrup
- 1tbsp mint leaves
- 2 tbsp powdered gelatine
- 2 egg whites
- 50ml rum
- 1tsp lime zest (I used about 1.5 tbsp!)

Mint sugar coating ingredients:
3/4 cup Demerara sugar (I would say do 1.5 cups)
1/4 cup mint leaves (I would do 1/2 cup instead)


First, dissolve 2 cups of the sugar, the glucose syrup and 185ml of water, over a low heat, in a saucepan. Once the sugar has all dissolved, add the mint leaves and pop in the sugar thermometer (which you will be lost without!) and leave it alone. Don’t touch it. No, really. Don’t.

Whilst you leave the sugar mixture to simmer away, pour your gelatine over 160ml of cold water in a microwaveable container. Leave it to stand for 5 minutes, then microwave on a high heat for 40 seconds, until the gelatine has all dissolved. Leave it to stand. Once the sugar has reached 115⁰C (STILL DON’T TOUCH IT!), you can start preparing your egg whites.

On a medium speed, in an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, mix until fluffy. Turn up to a medium high speed and add in the rest of the sugar. When it has gone nice and shiny, turn the speed back down to medium. 


By this point the sugar mix should be nearing 127⁰C. This is what you’re looking for.



Remove it from the heat and let the bubbles die away. Remove the mint leaves with a fork. You can now add your gelatine mix slowly into the sugar syrup. Do not pour it too quickly or else it may bubble up. With the electric mixer still whisking, pour the sugar/gelatine mix slowly into the eggs. Turn the mixer up to high and beat for 12 minutes. It will be thick and hold its shape when it’s ready. Now add your lime zest and rum.
Pour into your container.



Leave to stiffen for 3 hours. Whilst you wait for it to firm up you can make some mint sugar. Preheat the oven to 110⁰C. Blend together the mint leaves and sugar. This is where I would change the recipe. I would use more of each as half way through covering my final marshmallows I ran out of mixture. Spread the mix onto a baking tray and leave in the oven for about 15 minutes or until it has all dried out.


Once the marshmallow has stiffened, cut it with an oiled knife (I have this swanky roller), and roll each piece in the mint sugar. Store in an airtight container.



Changes I would make to the recipe:
-          Mix together more mint and sugar
-          I found the coating of the mint sugar too crunchy afterwards – it stole from the marshmallow itself (even though it is still incredibly tasty), so I would blend the sugar and mint again once it has dried out to create finer crystals and a smoother, less powerful covering.

These were so so so so good, and actually did taste like a delicious mojito. I strongly recommend making these. I lost one to the neighbour as I was photographing them in the garden, they were that good! In the next couple of weeks I am going to be posting a teacake recipe, so get practising your marshmallows for that! Send me pictures to the Heels & Horseshoes Facebook page if you do make some – I’d love to see them.

--Emma

Nice to see you, to see you nice!

Hello!




I am so excited to be writing my first blog post for Heels & Horseshoes! Gemma asked me to make a little video for you all to explain what I’ll be up to and a little bit about me. However, talking to a camera really isn’t my forte so in the following clip I mumble, faff, get distracted by a puppy, don't remember to say hello and forget to tell you a lot about me! So I will now recap here:

I am Emma and I am newly 26 years old. I always thought of 27 as being a “proper grown up,” so I’ve got to make the most out of this final year! I grew up in a beautiful little village in Suffolk, but in the past year and a bit have moved into the town centre to my very own house. The thing I love about Suffolk is that you only have to drive for 10 – 15 minutes and you can be surrounded by gorgeous fields and amazing scenery. This makes me happy. What makes me even happier is being beside the sea: Fish and chips, arcades, ice creams, paddling (and always ending up wet to your knees), kayaking, hot chocolates, walking and being almost blown up off the stony ground by the bellowing coastal winds. I love it all.

More recently my boyfriend, Craig, and I have extended our little team. We now have a very handsome Labrador pup called Austin. He is such a funny little dude, and has influenced the last few months in such a positive way. He is very nearly 5 months old, and loves his walkies. Being a lab, he can’t go far because of issues labs have with their hips, but those 30 minutes of every day never fail to make me laugh, smile and often hide my face in embarrassment at his funny shenanigans!!  

So what do I want to give to Heels & Horseshoes? I hope to offer recipes (mainly baking – and the occasional doggy treat!), crafting ideas and book reviews.  I can’t wait.
Lovely to meet you all.

--Emma



Wednesday 3 June 2015

25 things I've learnt in 25 years...

Heeeey,

So I’m officially knocking on 25’s door. I have never been this aware of turning a new age and I’m currently trying to figure out how I’m not 18 anymore - what happened? 

Anyway here is my list of 25 things I’ve learnt in the last 25 years.

1) I will never be a tidy person - It doesn’t come naturally to me and neither do you miraculously become tidier as you get older.

2) I don’t like tea or coffee - You don’t miraculously start liking it either. I always used to think it was for grown ups, I’m still not there yet.

3) Taste buds do change - always try foods again, I've discovered lots of new loves that i used to hate as a child.

4) Say YES more - New opportunities, the need for change and happiness all come from outside the comfort zone. 

5) There are always opportunities - big or small opportunities 
present themselves to us every day.

6) Happiness isn’t something that can be felt all of the time - it comes and it goes, some days more than others. 

7) Worry is a part of my every day life - pointless anxiety worry to grownup adult worries you just learn to deal with them. 

8) Going to university doesn’t land you a perfect dream job instantly - far from it in fact.

9) My mum really is always right - always has been, always will be and now I actively go to her for advice.

10) People are a lesson or a blessing - I’ve met some really horrible people and they make me appreciate all the lovely people I have in my life.

11) It is harder to lose weight when your older 

12) Count the pennies - I really should have been more careful with my pennies as a student! 

13) I can’t afford a house - but I like dreaming about a house, with a garden, with a lovely big kitchen I’ll probably never cook in 

14) I can’t cook 

15) I have the bestest friends I could ask for - and I don’t have to see them every day, week, month or year for that matter.

16) Friends should not make you feel like you’re in a competition - I feel amazing having ditched the people that didn’t bring anything to my life.

17) 10 O’clock bedtime is amazing 

18) School was certainly not the best days of my life

19) 18 year olds look really young

20) Hangovers get worse

21) Leaving the country to ‘find myself’ got me straight back to where I started - with additions of an awesome boyfriend, friends and memories

22) Travelling & Holidays are an absolute necessity not just a luxury

23) Meditation is the most beautiful thing ever 

24) Having my own business has been the best decision I’ve ever made

25) I always knew what I wanted to do - When I wanted to be a photographer when I grew up I genuinely wanted to be a photographer.





Well here’s to another beautiful 25 years; full of mistakes, tantrums, love, dreams and happiness (Oh and hopefully a perfect beach body).


Gemma xxx
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