Marshmallow Prince Charming Frogs

Marshmallow Prince Charming Frogs
recipe: Cravings Magazine

makes 12 Frogs

ingredients
sprinkling frog sugar
¼ tsp yellow food colour
⅛ tsp blue food colour
Mix together to make green 200g castor sugar
Mix with green food colour and squish with the back of a spoon until a solid green sprinkling sugar is visible. Put aside to use once frogs are piped.
marshmallow frogs
23g gelatin
¼ cup plus 2 tbsp water
1½ tsp vanilla extract
Add the above ingredients to the large mixing bowl (make sure it is heat proof), stir to combine and let it stand until the sugar syrup is ready to add.
1½ cups castor sugar
¼ cup plus 2 tbsp water
½ cup plus 2 tbsp corn syrup (be very precise as it will affect the solidness of the marshmallow)
¼ tsp of salt
1 tiny bottle green food colour (from the “Queens” brand pack of 4, this may seem a lot but when it is beaten for around 10 minutes it goes pastel in colour)

method
Add this second list of ingredients to a heavy based saucepan and bring to a boil, covered without stirring. Before it boils, use a wet pastry brush to brush down the sides of pan to stop the sugar from crystallising. Re-cover and wait till the syrup boils.
Remove lid and continue to cook without stirring until mixture reaches 118°C on a sugar thermometer. Syrup needs to be between soft ball and a hard crack temperature. (If the syrup is not boiled for long enough the marshmallow will not hold its shape when piped into frogs. Instead they will flatten slightly and become more like toads!)
Remove syrup from heat. Place gelatin mixture on medium – low speed and pour all of the syrup slowly down the side of bowl – be careful as boiling mixture may splash up and burn! Once all syrup is added bring mixer up to full speed.Whip mixture until it is very fluffy and stiff, approximately 8-10 minutes.While mixture is whipping, prepare a folded wet cloth and a small container of water to dip your fingers in. Water helps to mould the frog shapes but too much will dissolve the marshmallow. I make sure my hand is damp by placing it on the cloth before touching marshmallow. Any tiny mistakes or piping end points may be fixed with a wet finger (flick off any excess from your fingers).
Take the piping bag without the nozzle and fill it ¾ full (it helps to roll down the top a couple of times before filling and have a wet finger to help push off any marshmallow from spoon). Unroll plastic top and push mixture towards bottom, eliminate air and twist top. (This bag makes the bodies). Fill the other piping bag with remainder of marshmallow. (This bag is to make the eyes therefore not as much mixture is required).
to make frog bodies
Cut bottom of piping bag approximately 1.5 cm from bottom. Pipe an oval shape onto baking paper approximately 4 cm in diameter. On top of this, pipe another oval but 90 degrees to the first oval. (see aerial view diagram) → The top half creates the head and mouth of the frog. I found if I made the top half more of a spiral oval, it allowed me to slightly flatten one side of the head over the bottom oval (make sure your hand is damp), creating a smiling mouth.
to make frog eyes
Use the piping bag with the nozzle. Pipe two small dots on top of each frogs head. Smooth any pointy end spikes with the touch of a damp finger. Leave frogs uncovered to dry a little in the air for around 1hour. Frogs need to be sticky enough to take on the sprinkling sugar and firm enough to touch without damaging their form. Keep checking for their stickiness.
To give frogs their skin: After an hour or so of frogs resting uncovered, put sprinkling sugar into a wide cereal shape bowl. Gently pry each frog off the baking paper with a flat wet knife and drop into the green sprinkling sugar. Roll and gently pat each frog in sugar making sure crevices have taken on sugar as well, by doing this the frogs body shape stands out more. Don’t forget to do their base as well!
Storing frogs: Once dusted with sugar, let frogs stand uncovered for 12 hours. Frogs can be stored in an air tight container at room temperature for 2 -3 weeks.
to give frogs personality
With a skewer or toothpick, gently make a sticky divot in each eye. Stick one small current in each eye. Use the skewer to push the currents in so they won’t fall out. Make tiny bow ties with ribbon. With a skewer tease out a tiny piece of sticky marshmallow from just below the frog’s mouth, and then adhere the bow tie to the frog. Make or purchase some small crowns and adhere the same way as the bow ties.
If you would like to give them frog feet, see the drawn outline given in the magazine. Get the kids to colour feet and either laminate or use clear contact to protect them.
Different flavours may be added at the initial stage. Replace the first measure of water with ¼ cup fruit puree and ¼ cup water to the gelatin mix. Proceed as per recipe.
Sprinkling sugar will not stick if frogs are left too long standing.
Crowns may be found in scrapbook packets sourced from Big W.
Lilly leaves shown in photo are cut from corrugated board.
Corn syrup is available from supermarkets, in either the health section or the baking section. It is sometimes labelled as ‘’Glucose Syrup – Derived From Corn”

chef's tips
These frogs need at least 12 hours to set, making it a great kids’ treat to do well ahead of time.
You will need: Two baking trays with a couple drops of oil spread around to help the sheets of baking paper stick. Two disposable piping bags, one fitted with the small plain round nozzle.
Piping bags available where foil is found in supermarkets
A candy or sugar thermometer!! (found in all good kitchen shops for about $10)
Use a standing mixer with a whisk attachment for this recipe because the adding of hot sugar syrup into the gelatine can lead to potential burning if care is not taken.
Piping frogs takes a bit of practice. If a series of frogs turn into toads, simply scoop up marshmallow with wet fingers, put back in bag and try again

source: Cravings Magazine Volume 4