Quarantined With My Peeps…

If going to the grocery store right now gives you a straight-up panic attack, but Easter wouldn’t be Easter without Peeps…we have a solution for you. Homemade Peeps! It’s funny, I have been making homemade marshmallow for years but not once have I had the desire to make my own peeps. Until now that is. Suddenly, the daunting task of braving the grocery store only to find empty shelves makes the thought of everything made at home from scratch seem better.

I used my standby no-boil marshmallow recipe for the peeps and it worked like a charm. I was a little worried at first as I have no clue how to pipe a Peep. Let me put your fears to rest…I played with about 5 peeps and low and behold they looked close to the original. Now, they may not be perfect but why make something home-made if it’s going to look like a machine fabricated it.

If you don’t have sanding sugar sitting around your pantry this quarantine…make your own. It is super easy and you can customize your colors. If you don’t have unflavored gelatine, substitute for an egg-white marshmallow recipe. I always keep unflavored gelatin in my food storage as it can be used as an egg substitute in a pinch (or a pandemic as the case may be). Best of all making peeps homemade allows you to change up the flavor. I used Nielson Massey’s vanilla bean paste as I think this product is a gift straight from the Gods, but the possibilities are endless. Use freeze-dried raspberries or strawberries from your food storage to shake things up a bit. Try a little citric acid to add tang to the sanding sugar. Bottom line…have fun with it.

There are many things while quarantined we have to go without…but Peeps aren’t one of them. One of the greatest things that may come from this crazy pandemic is our resourcefulness and ability to learn new skills. Instagram is full of celebrities baking bread and putting on t-shirts while doing a hand-stand. While I cannot say with certainty that you will be able to put on a shirt while doing a hand-stand, I am fairly confident you can make homemade marshmallow and toss it in sugar. Let this Easter weekend go down in the history books as the Easter you were quarantined with your “Peeps”.

Ingredients:

2 envelopes Knox unflavored gelatin

4 Tbsp cold water

1 cup boiling water

2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp finely ground sea salt

2 Tbsp vanilla or vanilla bean paste

assorted sanding sugars

Chocolate or black food coloring for eye dots

Instructions:

1. Cover the bottom of three cookie sheets with sanding sugar.
2. In stand mixer bowl pour 4 Tbsp cold water over 2 envelopes of unflavored Knox gelatin.
3. Let water fully absorb into gelatin.
4. Pour 1 cup boiling water over gelatin and stir until hot water completely dissolves gelatin.
5. Add sugar and salt.
6. Whip on high until stiff peaks form.
7. Add vanilla or vanilla bean paste.
8. Whip until fully incorporated.
9. Fill piping bag fitted with large round tip ( I use Wilton’s 1-A).
10. Fill piping bag with marshmallow.
11. On top of sanding sugar pipe a line about 2 1/2 inches long for the base.
12. Starting at the front of the base pipe back towards the tail about 2/3rds of the way stop and pull up and forward creating the head.
13. Next, sand the marshmallow chicks with sanding sugar.
14. Be sure not to touch marshmallow until fully coated with sanding sugar.
15. Use chocolate or black food coloring to make dots for eyes.
16. Let sit 4-6 hours until fully set.
17. Enjoy!!!

Tips:

• Make marshmallow Peeps in a variety of shapes by spraying any silicone mold with vegetable oil. Fill the mold with marshmallow and allow to set. Pop the shape out of the mold with greased hands and dust shape with sanding sugar.