Vanilla Marshmallows
You will need a 4- to 6-quart stand mixer to make this recipe, but the ingredient list is short and sweet. Homemade marshmallows are sticky little buddies, so be sure to coat them on all sides in confectioners’ sugar before serving or storing.
Makes 24 (2-inch) marshmallows 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, for greasing the pan, divided, plus more as needed
1 ounce (4 packets) unflavored, powdered gelatin
11 ⁄ cups water, divided 4
3 cups granulated sugar 1 cup light corn syrup 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or paste 1⁄4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, divided, plus more as needed
Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with about 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Cut a piece of parchment paper long enough to have a generous overhang on the two longer sides of the pan; fit it into the pan and brush with the remaining teaspoon of oil.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add 3⁄4 cup water. Sprinkle the gelatin into the water and let stand until it dissolves, whisking briefly to ensure all the gelatin is moistened.
In a 4-quart saucepan with high sides, combine the remaining water, the sugar and corn syrup. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir to ensure all the sugar is moistened.
Use a wet pastry brush or clean wet cloth to wipe the sides of the pan so there are no sugar crystals clinging to it. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and bring the sugar mixture to a boil over high heat. Cook it, gently swirling the pan occasionally, until the mixture reaches 238 degrees, 6 to 8 minutes.
Turn the mixer to medium-low speed and slowly pour the sugar syrup in a steady stream into the gelatin, avoiding the whisk, aiming for the space between the bowl and the whisk. As soon as all of the sugar syrup is incorporated, gradually increase the speed to medium-high, taking care not to raise the speed too quickly, or some of the hot syrup may splash out. Continue beating until the mixture begins to turn white, about 4 minutes. Add the vanilla extract or paste and salt, and increase the speed to high. Whip until the fluff is glossy and quite thick, an additional 4 to 6 minutes.
Lightly grease a rubber spatula with oil and use it to transfer the marshmallow mixture to the greased pan, spreading it evenly but quickly, as it will start to set.
Cover with a lightly greased sheet of parchment paper. Let the marshmallows cool completely, at least 3 hours and up to overnight, before cutting.
To cut: Evenly sift about 1⁄ cup
2 of the confectioners’ sugar over a large cutting board. Remove the parchment covering the marshmallows. Lightly grease a chefs’ knife with oil and use it to loosen the marshmallow from the sides of the pan. Using the parchment overhang, pull marshmallow mass out of the pan and gently invert it onto the confectioners’ sugar. Peel off the parchment and discard. Sift about 1⁄4 cup of the confectioners’ sugar over the top of the marshmallow. Using the chefs’ knife, greasing lightly between cuts, cut the marshmallow into individual squares. For 24 (2-inch) marshmallows, cut the slab widthwise into 6 strips and lengthwise in 4, or cut as desired. Coat each marshmallow in confectioners’ sugar before serving or storing.
Baked Feta Pasta
This viral social media recipe is low-effort and packed with flavor. A simple pasta sauce full of salt, tang, acid and a little bit of spice is made from baking feta cheese, tomatoes, olive oil and crushed red pepper flakes until soft before mashing it all together with a fork. For a creamier texture, be sure to use Greek feta (which is made from at least 70 percent sheep’s milk) in lieu of feta-style cheese made from cow’s milk. Any pasta shape you have on hand will do, but we recommend a medium-length pasta that holds onto the rustic sauce for optimal enjoyment.
Makes 4 servings
2 pints (171⁄2 ounces) cherry or grape tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, halved lengthwise
1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
1 block (7 ounces) Greek feta cheese
⁄2 teaspoon crushed 1 red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces medium-length dried pasta, such as campanelle, rigatoni or rotini
Fresh basil leaves, for serving
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, combine the tomatoes, garlic and 1⁄4 cup of the olive oil. Sprinkle with some salt and toss to coat. Place the feta cheese in the center of the tomatoes and garlic, top with the remaining olive oil, and sprinkle the entire dish with red pepper flakes and a little black pepper. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the garlic has softened and the tomatoes have burst their skins.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and then drain the pasta.
Mash the feta and tomatoes with a fork and mix until evenly combined. Mix the sauce with pasta, adding the reserved pasta water as needed if it looks a little dry. Taste, and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. To serve, divide among bowls and top with plenty of basil leaves.
Storage note: Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
The color of your bars will depend on how red the blood oranges are. Your curd might range from burnt orange to burnt umber to mauve to red (think Big Stick Popsicle). To avoid compacting flour when measuring, fluff the flour with a large spoon in its container, then spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level off with a knife.
Makes 9 square bars
FOR THE SHORTBREAD:
12 tablespoons European-style unsalted butter, cubed, room temperature
2 tablespoons powdered sugar 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
11⁄2 cups fluffed King Arthur all-purpose flour
FOR THE CURD:
3⁄4 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt (decrease to 1⁄4 teaspoon if using regular table salt)
3 large eggs, room temperature
1⁄2 cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice (about 3-4 oranges, depending on size)
4 tablespoons European-style unsalted butter, cubed, room temperature
TO FINISH:
1⁄4 cup powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 325 degrees (300 degrees if you’re using a glass pan). Butter an 8-inch-square pan. Cut a sheet of baking parchment to 8 inches by 16 inches and place it in the pan, centering the overflow that will be the “handles” to allow you to lift out the squares from the pan. Smooth the parchment and butter the bottom and both the parchment and exposed sides of the pan (alternately, use baking spray if you prefer).
Using a wooden spoon, cream the butter with the sugars in a medium bowl. Add the flour and combine well. The dough will be very crumbly. Turn the dough out into the baking pan and use your fingers to spread and press down the dough evenly. Poke several holes in the dough with a fork or a knife and bake for 15 minutes. Shortbread will be pale with just barely, if any, color around the very edges. It is still slightly underdone but precisely what you want.
While the shortbread is baking, make the curd. Place a pot on the
stove on medium-high heat and add about 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil.
Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a stainless steel bowl. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Pour in the juice and whisk well to incorporate. Set the bowl over the pot of boiling water and reduce heat to keep a good simmer and not a rolling boil. Whisk the mixture continuously (you can stop long enough to remove the shortbread from the oven). The curd will stay loose for a while, but it will thicken up as it gets closer to the final temperature. Once an inserted candy thermometer reads 180 degrees (after about 15 to 20 minutes), remove from heat and whisk in the butter, one piece at a time, until smooth. Immediately pour the curd into the pan with the shortbread, leveling it out with a rubber spatula, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes; the center should still be a little jiggly when you shake the pan. If it’s very jiggly and wet, bake for an additional 2 to 4 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack. Chill at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. When ready to cut, run a butter knife around the non-parchment-covered sides to loosen, then use the parchment overhang to lift the shortbread out of the pan. Place on a cutting board. Add powdered sugar to a small sieve and shake over the bars. The powdered sugar will slowly dissolve into the curd, making the tops of the bars glossy. Cut into nine equal portions (see note).
Cutting tip: Before cutting, fill a tall glass with hot water and let the knife sit in it a few minutes before making the first cut. After each cut, return the knife to water, drying it before making the next cut.
Storage note: Store the bars at room temperature in an airtight container for two days or up to a week in the refrigerator.
Recipe note: At the time of writing, blood oranges were confirmed available locally at Specialty Produce, Sprouts, Walmart and Whole Foods.
1⁄2 cup champagne vinegar
1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 slices (3 to 31⁄2 ounces) stale or well-toasted bread
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste 1 large shallot (2 ounces), minced
1⁄4
teaspoon kosher salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
Coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped celery leaves or fresh parsley, for serving (optional)