Marshmallow is a timed combination of sugar and water with gelatin. Sugar cooked to soft-ball stage (238 degrees) and mixed with softened gelatin and other flavors or food coloring is quickly piped onto a bed of sugar or cornstarch. Then the treats are coated with grainy sanding sugar, which comes in colors or can be custom-colored with luster dust or sparkle dust.
Tools and Materials
- Rimmed baking sheet or several small bowls
- Fine crystal colored sugar or turbinado sugar
- Luster dust or sparkle dust (optional)
- Piping bag and tips
- Marshmallow for Piping recipe
- Royal Icing recipe
Sugar-Coated Marshmallow Bunnies and Chicks How-To
1. Line a baking sheet with the colored sugar or other coating so you can pipe in assembly-line fashion -- the piping process goes quickly.
Fill rimmed baking sheet or small bowls with about 1 1/2 cups sugar. If desired, color white sugar by stirring in luster dust or sparkle dust a little at a time. Pipe shapes onto sugar. Bunnies and chicks must be completed one at a time.
2. For bunnies, pipe a 1 1/4-inch mound about 1/2 inch tall onto sugar. Pipe a small mound on one side for the tail; pipe a larger mound for the head on the opposite side. With a damp finger, pat down any spikes formed from piping the body, tail, and head. Pipe the ears, starting from the top of the head, and pipe onto the body, pulling forward and off to finish. Pat down the spikes on the ears. Working quickly so the marshmallow surface does not dry, use a spoon to cover the entire surface with sugar. Allow a few minutes for the shape to set, and lift out of sugar with a spoon or small offset spatula. Pipe on royal-icing faces with a 1/32-inch (#1 Ateco) icing tip; place in a parchment-lined airtight container until ready to serve, or up to 2 weeks.
3. For chicks, pipe an oval shape about 1 inch wide, tapering the end and pulling upward to finish with the tail. On the opposite end, for the neck and face, pipe a mound about the width of the body, pushing toward tail and up. Pull away from the face to form the beak. Working quickly so the marshmallow surface does not dry, use a spoon to sprinkle sugar over the surface. Allow shape to sit a few minutes to set; lift out of sugar with a spoon or small offset spatula. Make large and small chicks by changing the dimensions.
4. Pipe on royal-icing eyes with a 1/32-inch (#1 Ateco) tip; place in a parchment-lined airtight container until ready to serve, or up to 2 weeks.