Patriotic Marshmallow Pops
Yield: 12
These Patriotic Marshmallow Pops are the perfect 4th of July dessert! Use my easy homemade marshmallow recipe to create star-shaped marshmallows, then dip them in Pop Rocks candy. There's a burst of edible poppin' fireworks in every bite!
Ingredients
- powdered sugar for coating pan
- ⅔ cup water, divided
- 3 envelopes (.25 ounce each) unflavored gelatin (find this next to the Jell-O at the grocery store)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 pinch of kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 packets (.33-ounce each) Pop Rocks in red and blue colors (use more or less, depending on how much you apply)
- sturdy paper straws or lollipop sticks
Instructions
- Lightly spray the inside of an 9'' x 13'' pan with nonstick cooking spray. Very generously coat the pan with powdered sugar and set aside.
- Pour ⅓ cup of the water into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and stir briefly to incorporate. Let stand for about 10 minutes, or until the gelatin has softened.
- In a saucepan, off the heat, combine the remaining ⅓ cup of water and the granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Place the pan over medium-high heat. Clip a candy thermometer on the inside of the pan, making sure it doesn’t touch the bottom. Cook the mixture without stirring until it reaches 240°F. Brush down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush, dipped in water, to gently wipe away any sugar crystals.
- With stand mixer on low speed (do not attempt this recipe with a handheld mixture), very carefully add the hot syrup to the softened gelatin. Add the vanilla and increase the speed to medium-high. The mixture will start out clear, but quickly turns very white. Beat for about 8 minutes, or until the marshmallow gets very thick and sticky, and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl, in string-like pieces. This will really give your mixer a workout!
- Spread the marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan using a lightly oiled spatula. With wet hands, press the batter evenly into the corners of the pan. Just keep rewetting your hands to help with the stickiness. Set aside for at least 1 hour, or until the mixture is firm and cool. Sprinkle a little powdered sugar evenly over the top.
- Run a wet knife around the perimeter of the cooled marshmallow, then transfer the marshmallow onto a sheet of parchment paper.
- Dip a small star-shaped cookie cutter (mine measures about 1½" wide) into a shallow bowl of water and then cut the slab of marshmallow into star shapes. This is a sticky job, but it helps tremendously to dip the star cutter into the water in between cuts. Repeat this process until the whole slab of marshmallow is cut.
- To apply the Pop Rocks, only open 1 packet at a time. Press the cut sides of the star marshmallows into the Pop Rocks. Then insert sturdy paper straws (what I used) or lollipop sticks to finish them off. These are best enjoyed shortly after the Pop Rocks are applied (see Notes below).
Notes
To make in advance: You can make the marshmallow a day in advance. The Pop Rocks, however, do react to air and moisture, and should not be applied too far in advance of eating. For the optimal Pop Rocks eating enjoyment, you should be fine to apply the Pop Rocks up to a couple of hours prior to serving, but that will vary greatly depending on heat and humidity, etc. Store them in a cool dry environment until ready to eat.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 1 Calories: 230kcal Carbohydrates: 59g Sodium: 31mg Sugar: 58g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.