Homemade Marshmallow Fluff

Ok, so most of these pictures are of the peanut butter chocolate chip oatmeal cookies about which I posted a while back...

But I also made a fluffernutter sandwich!

Low fat lifestyle! Not. It was amazingly delicious, though!

Is it a coincidence that both of these things have peanut butter in them?

I think not. I think people just haven't realized what a good smear of peanut butter does to the s'more flavor combination of marshmallow (and chocolate). It adds the salty dimension and the umami dimension, rendering both of these dishes perfect.

Can I get a whoop for this almost whoopie pie? Though the cookies are more dense and chewy than cakey, the homemade marshmallow fluff stood up to their strength and it makes for a delicious combination.

I made these cookies with my blogger friend Maxine--we also made peanut butter and jelly muffins together a while back! Peanut butter is definitely one of the adhesives that keeps us together.

Speaking of adhesives, let's talk marshmallow fluff. This is very similar to the fluff you get out of a jar...maybe a little more spring/stick/toughness but similar texture and flavor. And it's a fun way to try your hand at an Italian meringue (when you pour hot sugar syrup into egg whites and beat the you-know-what out of them). It's crazy, it feels like you're going to cook the eggs and end up with gross hard sugar stuck to the mixing bowl, but it all comes together like a heavenly cloud. An inescapable cloud, given how sticky it is.

You want to know how to make these? They're also from Michele!

Homemade Marshmallow Fluff
Yield: about 2 cups

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• ¼ cup water
• Pinch of salt
• 2 egg whites
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Method:

1. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, water and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer (or get it boiling and then boil vigorously for another 5 ish minutes).
2. While the sugar mixture is boiling, add the egg whites and cream of tartar to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. The egg whites should be ready and waiting when the sugar mixture reaches 240 degrees F. If the egg whites reach soft peaks before the sugar mixture reaches its temperature, turn off the mixer.
3. Once the sugar mixture reaches 240 degrees F, turn the mixer speed to low and very slowly drizzle the syrup down the side of the mixer bowl. Once all of the syrup has been added, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form and the mixture has cooled substantially, about 7 to 9 minutes. Add the vanilla extract during the last minute or two of beating.
4. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe from Brown Eyed Baker