Chocolate Marshmallows

OK, I'm guilty -- I'm doing something I swore I'd never do, which is post a recipe I haven't tried. But I want to put it here for safekeeping. I'd been looking for a recipe for chocolate marshmallows -- not chocolate-covered marshmallows, but actual chocolate marshmallows. Found this on the Global Gourmet web site. I'll try it this week and report back! The description says not to make them on a humid day; they only store for a few days at best, so you have to use 'em right away. Can't be refrigerated or frozen.

• Ready In: 11 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 100

Ingredients

• Marshmallows

• 1 1⁄4 cups water (cold)
• 2  tablespoons water (cold)
• 1⁄3 cup  unsweetened  Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 3  ounces unflavored gelatin
• 3⁄4 cup light corn syrup
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract

• Coating

• 1⁄2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3  tablespoons  unsweetened  Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1  tablespoon cornstarch

Directions

1. Prepare a 13x9" pan by lining with aluminum foil, shiny side up. Fold any overhang along outer edges of pan. Try to make it as smooth as possible. Grease with vegetable shortening or cooking spray and set aside.
2. Bring 6 tablespoons cold water to a boil in a small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid.
3. While waiting for water to boil, measure cocoa into a small bowl. Pour boiling water over cocoa and whisk briskly to dissolve cocoa. Cool until just warm, whisking occasionally.
4. Pour gelatin into another 1/2 cup of cold water in a measuring cup. Allow to stand 5 minutes to soften.
5. While gelatin softens, combine remaining 1/2 cup cold water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a 2-quart non-reactive pot with tight-fitting lid.Dissolve gelatin by placing measuring cup in hot water. Stir often with metal spoon. Gelatin mixture will be stiff at first, but will melt to a liquid fairly quickly. Remove from water and dry container thoroughly. Allow to stand at room temp for about 3 minutes, then scrape into the bowl of an electric mixture.
6. Add cocoa mixture to gelatin. (Cocoa mixture should be warm, but not hot.) Beat at low speed until the two are combined. Set aside.
7. Place saucepan with sugar/corn syrup mixture over low heat. Stir well to dissolve sugar. When sugar is dissolved, increase heat and bring syrup to a boil. Cover tightly and boil 3 minutes to dissolve sugar thoroughly. Uncover and boil to 240 degrees without stirring.
8. While syrup cooks, beat cocoa/gelatin mixture at low speed once or twice to keep it from setting; scrape bottom and sides of bowl occasionally.
9. When syrup reaches 240, remove from heat. Wait until the bubbling stops. Add a small quantity of syrup to the cocoa/gelatin mixture, then beat at a low speed to incorporate the syrup. Continue to add the hot syrup VERY gradually. Stop the mixer before each addition, and beat at a low speed after addition until it is completely incorporated. Scrape down the mixing bowl and beaters with rubber spatula about half-way through adding the syrup. The cocoa/gelatin mixture will become hot and very liquid.
10. When all the syrup has been added, scrape down the bowl and bears one last time. Begin beating at medium speed. As mixture cools, it will thicken and increase in volume. Gradually increase speed to high.
11. Beat the marshmallow mixture for 10-15 minutes, adding vanilla during the last few minutes. The marshmallow mixture will be warm, thick, and shiny, and will resemble marshmallow whip. Texture should be light and fluffy, and the color will be a light chocolate.
12. Remove from mixer and scrape into prepared pan, quickly spreading level with rubber spatula. The mixture will be between 3/4" and 1" high.
13. Allow mixture to stand uncovered at room temperature for 7-10 hours before cutting.
14. Shortly before you're ready to cut the marshmallows, make the coating by processing confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, and cornstarch in a food processor. (If you don't have a food processor, sift them together several times.).
15. Test to see if marshmallows are set before cutting by touching the top lightly; they're ready to be cut if they're only slightly tacky, or not tacky at all.
16. To cut, sift a generous amount of coating directly on to the surface of the marshmallows. With your fingertips, gently spread the coating powder so the entire surface is covered.
17. Place a piece of wax paper (larger than 13x9) on a cutting board. Invert the cutting board with the wax paper over the top of the pan, then turn pan and cutting board over so the marshmallows slide on to the wax paper. Peel foil off of marshmallows. Sift a generous amount of coating powder over marshmallows.
18. Use a very sharp, straight-edged knife to cut marshmallows. Grease blade lightly, then cover both sides of blade with coating powder. Cut marshmallows into squares, strips, or whatever you like. Coat blade with coating powder before each use/cut.
19. Store in airtight container. If marshmallows stand for more than day before they're used, re-roll each marshmallow in coating powder before serving.