This is the coolest recipe/idea ever. Or at least one of them. Bones made of marshmallow- genius! Shaped like smaller humerus bones (aks “funny bones”), actually, or dog bones. A perfect addition to hot chocolate, or even for decorating a cake, or cupcakes. Or just for Halloween snacking. They’re super duper easy, fun to make and taste really good too. They require no baking, just boiling and mixing, and are done in maybe 15-20 minutes tops. Plus if you’re morbid, like me, and enjoy snacks that look like body parts, they’re just awesome, period.

MARSHMALLOW BONES

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup cold water
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ ounce unflavored gelatin (1 tablespoon)
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Directions:

1. Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper. Combine ½ cup cold water and the vanilla in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over top, and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Bring granulated sugar, corn syrup, and remaining ¼ cup cold water to a boil in a small saucepan. Cook, washing down sides of saucepan with a wet pastry brush, until mixture registers 234 °degrees to 240° degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat.
3. Whisk gelatin mixture with a mixer on high speed for 30 seconds. With the machine running, carefully pour hot sugar mixture down the side of bowl in a slow, steady stream. Whisk mixture until very fluffy and almost stiff, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch round tip.
4. To form the bones: In a continuous motion, pipe a small figure 8, then a straight 5-inch line, then another small figure 8. Repeat. Let bones stand, uncovered, for 10 to 12 hours in a cool, dry place.
5. Generously sift confectioners’ sugar over bones, turning to coat. Shake off excess. (The marshmallow bones will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

I highly recommend using a stand mixer for this. I did not read the recipe in full before starting, and used a hand mixer, and my arm almost fell off. Also, if possible, use a disposable pastry bag. This stuff is fucking crazy.. like edible glue. If you use a good pastry bag- you’ll never use it again, trust me. I practically glued my hands together making these. In total, I made roughly almost 40 bones; 20 something mini-ones, 18 larger ones and I also filled a waxed-paper-lined brownie pan with the rest and made square marshmallows.

These have possiblities coming out the yin-yang. You could make ‘em flesh colored, shape them long, stick fake nails on ‘em and make fingers, make them round, draw red squiggly lines on them and put eyeball candies in the middle and float them in hot cocoa or punch like eyeballs… make them black and make spiders, etc, etc, etc. I could go on but I think you get it by now. I was even thinking it’d be cool to make an entire skeleton- just print one out, slide it under the waxed paper, and trace it in different parts. Then when they’re ready, reassemble them on a long black tray as a Halloween (or medical student graduation) party novelty.

Oh- and contrary to what you may think, don’t worry about using clear vanilla extract, the brown stuff disappears and it all turns white anyway.

Happy haunting!

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