Caramel macchiato caramel marshmallows

Salted caramel layered with an espresso marshmallow.  The homemade espresso marshmallow has an additional caramel swirl on top, so you can get your full caramel fix satisfied. Below is a quick video of how these are made.

How much time do you need to make these?

Candy is a labor of love.  Two cooked sugar items (caramel and marshmallows) are going to take up a small chuck of time over a couple of days.  I personally make candy in the evenings after my kids go to sleep.  These would take me one day per layer and one day to cut and wrap.

You will need to stir from start to finish with this caramel. This is around 40 minutes. You do not stop stirring. Have a show ready to watch, have a podcast ready to listen to, don't have kids around that can distract you. Yes, it does take that long and KEEP GOING.  If you see a lot of steam, you aren't done.  Trust the process, trust your candy thermometer.

If you are new to candy making, please read this post and the recipe prior to starting to make them. I'm happy to answer any questions, and here are the most asked about these:

Caramel marshmallow top 5 FAQ

1. Does the marshmallow fall off of the caramel?
   1. Nope! The marshmallow really does stick to the caramel.  When you layer the the marshmallow on top of the caramel, you are doing it when the caramel is cold and the marshmallow is hot.  The hot marshmallow melts the top of the caramel just enough that it forms a bond.  Once everything is cooled, they are going to stick.
2. Isn't the marshmallow too sticky to cut through? 
   1. No, the marshmallow isn't difficult to cut through with a knife.  What would make a marshmallow sticky is if it wasn't cooked to a high enough temperature, because there would be too much water left in the marshmallow.  Water + sugar = sticky.
3. Do you sell these?
   1. This is the exact recipe I use for my own retail sales, but you can only purchase them if you are local to the area I live in. No shipping available.
4. I don't want to wait.  What happens if I don't let the caramel cool and top it with hot marshmallow?
   1. The caramel and marshmallow will melt together too much and you'll end up with a slightly soggy weird candy that took a lot of effort but didn't give you the results you were hoping for.
5. Do I really need to use a candy thermometer?
   1. Yes, you must use a candy thermometer.  I'm giving very specific final cook temperatures.  When you are at the end of cooking the caramel or marshmallow, degrees will change within SECONDS.  You need to watch a thermometer, not a clock.

How much time do you need to make these?

This takes me three days. Candy is a labor of love.  Two cooked sugar items (caramel and marshmallow) are going to take up a small chunk of time over a couple days.  I personally make candy in the evenings after my kids go to sleep.  These would take me one day per layer and one day to cut.

General Flow of production

1. Make base caramel.
2. Make espresso marshmallow. Layer it overtop of the caramel.  Swirl in caramel set aside from earlier. Allow marshmallow to rest for a minimum of 12 hours before cutting into it.
3. Cut and wrap caramel marshmallows. Sprinkle with espresso powder.

Caramel layer: (Day 1)

• 10 minutes to assemble ingredients
• approximately 40 minutes of cook time
• 6 hour minimum of resting time before you can layer hot marshmallow over top

Marshmallow layer: (Day 2)

• 15 minutes to assemble ingredients and prep gelatin
• approximately 30 minutes of cook time
• 8 minutes of whipping time in the mixer
• 12 hour minimum of resting time before you can cut and wrap

Cutting and wrapping: (Day 3)

• cutting and wrapping this batch will take 1-2 hours depending on how quickly you move through it.  It takes longer than you think and is more fun if you have someone helping you!

Caramel- ingredients

• evaporated milk
• heavy cream
• butter
• brown sugar
• sugar
• salt
• corn syrup

Caramel- equipment

• heavy duty thick bottomed pot, 8 quart minimum
• candy thermometer
• high heat spatula or wooden spoon
• 12" x 17" sheet pan
• parchment paper

Marshmallow- ingredients

• sugar
• honey
• corn syrup
• gelatin
• Coffee concentrate ( I used this one)
• water
• vanilla

Marshmallow- equipment

• heavy duty thick bottomed pot, 8 quart minimum
• candy thermometer
• high heat spatula or wooden spoon
• 12" x 7" sheet pan full of chocolate caramel
• 5 quart planetary mixer

Dealing with Gelatin

Gelatin is my least favorite part about marshmallows.  I've tested many different store brands and name brands, and my hands down favorite is the Great Value (Walmart) brand of unflavored gelatin.  It is the most neutral, non smelly, truly unflavored gelatin around.

USE COLD COFFEE CONCENTRATE TO HYDRATE

Store bought instant gelatin needs cold water to hydrate, or "bloom", technically speaking.  Measure your cold coffee concentrate out exactly.  You are adding syrup to this hydrated gelatin, so there will be no chance to cook out more.  Too much liquid in this part will change the texture of your marshmallow to a stick one that flows.

Melting over a hot water bath.  This serves two purposes.  It melts your hydrated gelatin so there are no clumps of it in your marshmallow.  It also warms your bowl so your hot syrup doesn't seize on the sides.

1. Measure water exactly, put it in your mixing bowl.
2. Measure your gelatin out exactly in a separate bowl.  Do not rely on the weight on those little packs, use your kitchen scale to weigh out the exact amount.
3. Start whisking your water without adding anything.  Yup, whisk that water.
4. Sprinkle the gelatin in as you whisk.  It will thicken.
5. Set it aside while you do the rest of marshmallow cooking.
6. When the marshmallow syrup is cooling, melt down your gelatin over a hot water bath.

Storage and shelf life

After these are cut and wrapped into pieces, store them in an airtight container at normal room temperature.  Do not store them in the refrigerator or freezer.  Shelf life is approximately 3 months from a QUALITY standpoint, meaning the caramel will start to change texture.  It will be 6-9 months before the flavor changes.

My very top tips:

1. Read the recipe entirely before beginning.
2. Have a clean, large, workspace.  Feeling trapped while you're cooking and looking for places to put things is one of the worst feelings.
3. Prep the ingredients ahead of time by weighing them all out in containers, before you combine anything.
4. Have the pan you are pouring caramel into or finished caramel pan ready and waiting.  If you are pouring caramel into it, have it prepped with parchment paper.  If you are layering with marshmallow, have the finished caramel waiting.
5. Once you've nailed these, take a look at the viral caramel marshmallows or double chocolate caramel marshmallows.