MALLOWS ANYONE? It’s the DARING BAKER time of the month!

“Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary.”
Cecil Beaton

The July Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet
Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and
Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network.

In Nicoles words, “I’m a huge fan of Gale Gand, I have tried a lot of her recipes and they are such a huge success. For July’s challenge though I wanted to try something different and I wanted to do Gand’s version on my favorite store bought cookies which are the Peppridge Farm Milano Cookies and the Mallows (Chocolate covered Cookies). I’ve been wanting to try this recipes but just haven’t have the chance to do so or to be honest haven’t have the courage to tackle homemade marshmallow yet, until now.” Mallows (Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies) recipe courtesy Gale Gand, from Food Network. Cookie heaven, and that’s just what this months challenge was all about. Pleasure packed into a fabulous cookie! Dessert bites, light as air, and ever so indulgent!! Do stop by at Nicole’s blog @Sweet Tooth for the recipe.Procrastination never got the better of anyone, least of all me, as far as typing the post goes. Got the mallows ready in the 2nd week of July, & was quite prepared to try the Milanos. Fate had other plans for me; it always does! Schools had barely opened after a 2 month long summer vacation, & this Friday had been bookmarked for the Milano. Unfortunately, the school had to be shut down again for sanitization due to a number of H1N1 cases among students. Sigh, sorry Milanos… With the kids at home, nothing in my life moves. It’s been an extended short break for them, & I wonder why I waited so long to get typing the post. With D-day tomorrow, here I am trying to type my thoughts as July sweeps by us. What happened to the month? Life has actually been reduced to a blur! Days merging into one another, and as always, so much to do, & so little time. Being on twitter doesn’t help, so I’ve torn myself away from it for the past 2 days! FOCUS!!

Onto the challenge. Hosted by Nicole, the call was to make one, or both, of the cookies on offer – Milanos and/or Mallows (Chocolate covered cookies). I had good intentions of trying both, but grabbed the mallows first. WOW…marshmallows have been on my list of things-to-do for ever. Courage to try them always missing, which is why I’m a HAPPY DB today, with a satisfied sweet tooth. Thank you Nicole!! Some things just get moved up in queue from want to do, to have to do! Making Mallows has been the best cookie experience I’ve had, & by far the most involved & exciting. DELICIOUS & IMPRESSIVE for homed-baked cookies, we couldn’t get over them. Got huge thumbs up from the whole family, & for once, even from myself.
A huge issue however was the heat & humidity! Summer months in North India are by far the worst in the year, where power outages rule our life, butter flows merrily at room temperature, & chocolate almost doesn’t need a double boiler to melt!! Get the point? OK, so that’s what I was up against this month, with temperatures running into the 40C’s & humidity at an all time high of almost 87-90%. Had to turn to fabulous pastry chef & DB Helene @Tartlette on good ole Twitter to seek advice on the chocolate coating. A few tweets later, with my doubts cleared and a fan in action, I got set, & enjoyed making these beauties. Mallows are a fabulous cookie to make, & only once they come together under the chocolate coating, do you realise the magic you’ve created. The cookie base is crisp & light as air (I had my doubts about the base cookie, & was proved a 100% wrong). The marshmallows were FUN to make, almost uncertain again that I would manage, so I worked with them a little gingerly. I didn’t pipe on big glops of marshmallow on the cookie because I thought they would slide right off & spread uncontrollably due to the heat, but surprise, surprise! They held their ground, & beautifully. The chocolate coating was fun & very satisfying. I thought everything would fall apart once in the melted chocolate, but this part was a breeze! The other challenge of course was getting the chocolate to set, which it did only in the fridge, & then trying to get some good ‘unbloomed‘ shots. Not altogether possible, because the coating melted & gathered condensation as soon as it was out of the fridge. The mallows TASTED FABULOUS though, & am so glad I made these. Could never imagine I would something as delightful as these from scratch one day! YUM! The other problem was that I got way too many cookies out of the batch, almost 1-2 dozens still sitting in the box. The marshmallow & melted chocolate weren’t sufficient for the whole batch of cookies, which were almost 8 dozen! Maybe I rolled them too thin, but it was 1/8″ alright. I got a few mallows sans the chocolate coating, so did them up with different toppings. Drizzled scraped melted chocolate coating over a few, with chocolate shavings. Sprinkled some citrus sugar over others etc.The citrus sugar idea came from Audax Artifex’s post on the forum at DB. Was a pleasure to make it. I make lime juice for the kids everyday when they return from school. So as a routine now, I microplane the zest off & run the zest the microwave for 2-3 minutes till dry. Rub the zest into the sugar well with your fingertips, & voila, you have some good citrus sugar. Thank you Audax…I love it! The marshmallows and chocolate coating ran out pretty soon. So something had to be done with the base cookies that got left over. Crumbs leftover from a Chocolate Bundt Cake that I make often, mixed in with some thick chocolate ganache, gave birth to some Chocolate Sandwich Leftover Cookies! What’s not to love about left-overs? I ♥ them!!
Another good challenge completed & enjoyed. Thank you also to Lis & Ivonne, our founders, for this daringly fun kitchen. Life being a DB is certainly exciting. Do check out what the other Daring Bakers have been mallowing around with HERE!
Posted by Deeba @ PAB

Published by

Deeba @ PAB

About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.

118 thoughts on “MALLOWS ANYONE? It’s the DARING BAKER time of the month!”

  1. Absolutely beautiful! The marshmallow filling and chocolate coating look perfect. In spite of the heat and all that, you've really pulled it off! 🙂

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  2. Absolutely gorgeous. I love the flavours, colours, presentation and pictures. Another challenge brilliantly executed.

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  6. You always make everything look so pretty, like a wonderful present you are preparing to give away. Lovely cookies!

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  7. Amazing collection there ! Just beautiful…I just managed to get in..will post before the day end 🙂
    Congrats again for the great job !!

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  8. My first time making marshmallows too! We loved this cookie as well. You pictures are beautiful as usual!

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  11. So cute! I loved your cookies! And your pics… they speak volumes Deeba!!

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  14. Oh wow! Yours are brilliant, I'm embarrassed that you even looked at mine!! Good job on the challenge!

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  15. These are spectacular, Deeba! Each one is so beautiful! Where do you find the time?

    I am having the same problems with heat and humidity. It has been in the 90's F. here and it rained all weekend. I have my air conditioning turned down to 68 and have been waiting all day for the darn chocolate to harden! I will have to try to get some photos in the morning.

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  16. You have done an amazing job with this for sure! Fabulous… My chocolate coating tends to soften too. Due to humidity perhaps?

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  17. What pretty cookies and beautiful pictures! You did a great job! I am impressed!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  18. GORGEOU, deeba! The fact that you can shrink your photos so small, and they still remain sharp as a tack, is the mark of a truly gifted photographer. Oh, and all of your cookies, the clean work, presentation etc…are perfection and they look and sound delicious!

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  20. Very, very pretty Deeba.
    I made these ones, too using marzipan instead of marshmallow. 🙂

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  21. I just can't believe your photos and the quality of the final product you truely are an amazing baker top-notch. I'm stunned on your posting it is so beautiful and your photos are so detailed. Bravo bravo bravo. And thanks for the plug about the lemon/lime/orange sugar it is super nice. But what is delightful is flavoured salt this is super expensive to buy if you can find it in the first place but so cheap to make – it is made the same way as the sugar, dry the flavouring and add to the salt – try chives very tasty and my fav is olive salt. And even plum salt is great and they last a long time and it is easy to make and will add a beautiful taste that people will comment on. Cheers from Audax in Australia. Again wonderful result I'm so impressed in every manner.

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  22. Deeba, your mallows are the best. The pictures are so beautiful, I've gone over them so many times already and can't stop. The chocolate coating is so perfect and I love the sandwich cookies…Yummm.

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  25. You chocolate coating looks fabulous!! Great job on the challenge. I must try out the citrus sugar, my type of thing!

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  26. Wow those look gorgeous. Your posts always inspire me to bake. & now I have to try these. I had one question though. I just went through the recipe & one of the ingredients for the marshmallows is corn syrup. I can't find that here in Mumbai .. Do you get it there in gurgaon ? or is there a substitute I can use ??

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  27. OH THESE COOKIES! JUST AMAZING!! I M DROOLING OVER THESE, ESPECIALLY THE MARSHMALLOW ONES! OH! GREAT PHOTOS!

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  28. Your photos speak that you enjoyed the challenge a lot! love all those gorgeous clicks!

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  29. Deeba,

    This is really delicious to see. "SEE", I hope they will taste the same… mm… Mouth-watering cookies…

    Thanks for the comment on my blog. Yes, blogging in India is growing and exchange of ideas is random…

    I hope people share more information through WWW and India has a new name for its bloggers as it has for its engineers…

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  30. Wow! This was a challenge that I should not have missed and I must make them – you know that chocolate-covered marshmallow is my favorite thing! Beautiful, luscious job, Deeba!

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  34. Such gorgeous results despite the heat and amazing photos! You've got a brand new fan 🙂

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  36. Wow Deeba you've really outdone yourself tonight! These look amazingly good and I love the variations you made 😀

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  39. Wow, you did a lovely job!! I also adore your photos!! I'm glad you and your children enjoyed the cookies. I love your idea of the crumb and ganache filling. YUM!

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  40. they're amazing! i hope i can make some of those one day… some that would look as pretty as yours 😀

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  42. OH MY GOD Deeba!! These look soo sinful!! Serious eye-gasm occuring right now 😛 😛 I cant wait to try these for myself!

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  43. Deeba… you kill me.

    Either you are the cookie fairy, or you carry cookie genes in your DNA!

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  44. I think I say this every time I come to your wonderful blog, but you are amazing! Your creations, re-creations and photography just blow me away! so inspiring!! 🙂

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  45. Oh Deeba! Those look so perfect. I would never have known the weather played a factor in them!!! As always your creativity is amazing. Now help me figure out what to do with the leftover unbaked cookie dough I have???

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  46. Little morsels of joy,love the pretty presentation.The citrus sugar idea is a must try 😀

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  47. Mallo's have always been a childhood favourite Deeba. Beautiful smaps are making me very hungry…better go have breakfast.

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  49. My goodness, absolutely perfect, beautiful, they look phenomenal!! You did a super fantastic job.

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  50. this is my first time over at your blog! found it through the purple foodie's. your photos are amazing. and the cookies looks delicious!

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  52. All of your pictures are so beautiful! Your mallows turned out much better than mine did!

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  53. So beautiful! I didn't get around to the mallows but I am inspired by your post to give it a try soon. It looks like these would make terrific gifts!

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  54. I'm droooooling here!! (and can barely pull my tongue back up inside). Your mallows look gorgeous and great photography as usual!

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  57. Youn knoecked this one out of the park. Outstanding works of art. Love the candied citrus idea. So many great variations.

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  59. Wow, the cookies are just beautiful and your photography is amazing! Those mallows are making me hungry!

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  60. Wow! Wow! Wow! Your mallows look perfect. I love all the different things you did with them. Great job.

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  62. Beautiful. I love your collages, they're gorgeous =D. All of your marshmallow cookies look amazing – Awesome job!!

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  64. Awesome just awesome post..the photos are dreamy if you don't have a sweet tooth…you’ve it now!
    How much time you spend taking and editing these brilliant pics?

    Totally impressed!! Sending to twitter right now 🙂

    Cheers!

    Gera

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  65. Fabulous! Your mallows are so pretty, and a great idea to make sandwich cookies with the extras.

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  66. Gera directed me here, and I am glad I followed her lead, because your stuff is gorgeous, and I bet out of this world tasty…

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  69. Once again, words cannot express how much I enjoyed your photo series and cookie fashion show. I loved all of the cookies. Beautifully done, as always!

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  73. Deeba! Really I love mellows and your look wonderful, absolutely nice pictures too, as always, xoxoxoxo Gloria

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  74. Pretty pretty Deeba, your cookies are a sight to see! And gorgeous pics too.

    Light as air is definitely right about the Mallows, I loveeeed them!

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  75. Totally gorgeous cookies! Great idea to make sandwich cookies with the rest of the base cookies. Beautiful photos, too.

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  78. I don't care what you are baking…I just have to keep coming back to look at your amazing photos……of amazing baking…. …. these are absolutely beautiful.

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  80. How do you do it? You're photos are so exquisite and if I were to have one of them after you were done photographing, I probably wouldn't eat them because they look too pretty to eat. So perfect!!

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  81. How do you do it? You're photos are so exquisite and if I were to have one of them after you were done photographing, I probably wouldn't eat them because they look too pretty to eat. So perfect!!

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  88. Your cookies are gorgeous Deeba – and I love the chocolate sandwich leftover cookies. I only made Milanos the day before posting day – and wished I hadn't!!!

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  89. What an amazing job you did on this challenge! So creative and pretty. Thanks to your visit on my blog, I now discover yours… And it's going to become one of my favorites for sure!

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  93. your pictures are beautiful!…it's so refreshing to see such passion and craft.

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  95. Such a spectacular job on these, Deeba. All of your toppings on the Mallows are so beautiful and since I have some left, I'm resisting the urge to go get one. Always enjoy your lovely photographs ; )

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  96. Thanks for passing on the citrus sugar idea. It sounds like a great concentrated flavour. Great job managing the chocolate in the heat too!

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  97. So many gorgeous pictures! All your different mallows look spectacular! I also have tons left in my fridge, but I'm not complaining: I agree with you, they get more addictive with every taste!

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  98. I am literally overwhelmed by all these beautiful cookies. I haven't even made one yet. So lovely.

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  99. Deeba, You could sell these and make a fortune! You never cease to amaze me!

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  100. Your pictures are FANTASTIC!! I can't even pick a favorite, because they were all amazing! I thought your Mallows were beautiful! 🙂

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  101. the mallows look absolutely fantastic!! after seeing all these mallows, i want to make them too!! i only got to make the milano cookies. I think i'm going to them your "leftover" way. =) great job!!!

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  102. :P~
    This website should be marked as NSFW (Not Safe for Work)

    The images are so tempting that I can't concentrate back on work.

    Do you ever do an exhibition of these stuff or invite people for a treat 😉

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  103. Oh my goodness ! You have done a LOT here! your pictures are always so enticing… make me want to go grab one of the mallows.. i love marshmallow.

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  104. Absolutely beautiful! The marshmallow filling and chocolate coating look delicious!…the presentation and pictures are beautiful! Yah in spite of the weather they do turn out amazing, don’t they? Thank you for dropping by and sweet comments! =)

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  105. I always look forward to seeing your challenge because you are positively the most beautiful decorator there is. I'm never disappointed… all of these cookies look lovely!

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  106. Hi Deeba! I found your blog because you left a comment on mine and I'm really glad you did. Your blog is very, very beautiful and I'm looking forward to trying one of these recipes.

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  111. Wow Deeba, what beautiful pictures you've made of this challenge, along with having amazing looking cookies as well! And hey, now you even know what cream of tartar is for! 🙂

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  112. Oh, no! Please! Don't show me that! Those look amazing! So delicate and rich! Thanks for stopping by my blog, I didn't remember your blog and see it again it was a pleasure! =)

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  114. You have been being busy!!! How lovely all of the treats look! How to choose??

    How can you choose?
    All of those delicious looking treats look FABULOUS!!!

    MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM,…

    Reply

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