J@H - Homemade Snoballs

I'm a few challenges behind on my Junk at Home 2015 challenge, due to travel and work, so I thought I should get back to it with a bang! This week I was scheduled to make my own version of Hostess coconut snowballs and I decided to make it all from scratch.

Even though I had to made four different things for this recipe, it all came together pretty quickly. Aside from the shredded coconut, you probably already have all of the ingredients in your pantry. Well, as long as you're a baker, if you don't bake a lot you may need to head to the grocery story for a few things (unsweetened chocolate, marshmallow creme, Greek yogurt).

While you can get Snoballs at the store once again, you should definitely try making them at home. It's so much fun! Look at these adorable little purple puffs! The colored coconut is so easy to make. Simply place a bag of sweetened, shredded coconut into a large zip top bag. Add a drop of gel food coloring and squish it around until the coconut is evenly colored. Alternatively, you can add the coconut and food coloring to a food processor and pulse until the color is even and the coconut is slightly smaller.

The big question - do they taste like the original? With the combination of marshmallow, coconut and chocolate, there is no way for these to taste like anything else! This was definitely a winner in my book.

Two Years Ago: Strawberry Bacon Pizza
Three Years Ago: Pesto-Yogurt Chicken
Four Years Ago: Baked Pasta Casserole

Snoballs

A Wilde Concoction

Cakes

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 325 °F.

Fill a small pot with 1-inch of water. Heat to simmer. Place chocolate in a metal or glass bowl and set over the simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool for about 10 minutes.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy and combined. Add eggs, one at a time, allowing each one to incorporate before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add vanilla extract, mix until combined.

Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low until incorporated. Add water and mix on low until smooth. Add remaining flour mixture and mix on low. Add Greek yogurt and mix until no white streaks remain.

Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners. Scoop about 1/4 cup of batter into each cupcake. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the muffin tin and let cool completely before peeling off the cupcake papers and setting upside-down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Creme Filling
From Top Secret Recipes

1 teaspoon hot water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup marshmallow creme (3.5-ounces)
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small bowl, dissolve salt in hot water. Mix together marshmallow creme, shortening, powdered sugar and vanilla extract with a fork. Add salt water and stir until combined and fluffy.

With cupcakes upside-down, core out the inside of the cupcakes. Fill with a dollop of creme filling, replace the top.

Marshmallow Coating
From Marshmallows

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water
3 tablespoons powdered gelatin
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup water
1 1/4 cups light corn syrup (as opposed to lite corn syrup or dark corn syrup)
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Mix together water, gelatin and vanilla extract. Let gelatin bloom while you prepare the sugar syrup.

In a 3-quart pot, combine water, light corn syrup, salt and sugar. Clip on a candy thermometer and bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Without stirring, allow temperature to rise to 250 °F. Turn off heat, remove thermometer and stir in gelatin.

Pour marshmallow syrup into the bowl of your stand mixer. Beat on high with the whisk attachment until shiny, white and fluffy (about 6 minutes, you still want it to be warm).  Transfer half of the marshmallow batter to a large piping bag with a large circular tip.

With piping tip above the cupcake, pipe a large blob until it starts to flow over the edges of the cupcake. The marshmallow should continue to settle down the sides of the cupcake. Cover with colored, shredded coconut and let set for 1 hour. Lift cupcakes from baking sheet, you may need to gently peel the marshmallow away from the parchment paper. Dip the bottom of the cakes into the remaining coconut. Set on a flattened cupcake paper to keep them from sticking to each other.