Spiced Hot Chocolate with Home-made Marshmallows

FOR THE HOT CHOCOLATE MIX:
Combine half of the powdered milk with all of the semi-sweet chocolate in a food processor. Process until chocolate is finely chopped, almost a powder. Mix in vanilla and almond extract and process to mix. Empty the contents of the food processor into a large bowl and mix in remaining milk powder and all other ingredients. Mix very well and process again in food processor to finish.

Use about 1/8 cup of mixture for a small cup of cocoa, or 1/4 cup for a large mug. Just add boiling water and stir until well incorporated.

FOR THE MARSHMALLOWS:
Spray a 13 by 9 by 2-inch rectangular metal baking pan with cooking spray and dust with some of the confectioners’ sugar.

In a bowl of standing electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let stand to soften.

In a 3-quart pan, cook granulated sugar, corn syrup, hot water, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240 degrees F, about 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.

Beat mixture on high speed until white, thick and nearly tripled in volume, about 6 minutes. In a large bowl with cleaned beaters, beat whites until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat whites and vanilla into sugar mixture until just combined. Pour mixture into baking pan and sift 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar evenly over top. Chill marshmallow, uncovered, until firm, at least three hours, and up to 1 day.

Run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto large cutting board. Lifting up 1 corner of inverted pan, with fingers loosen marshmallow and let drop onto cutting board. With a large knife trim edges of marshmallow and cut marshmallows into roughly 1-inch cubes. Sift remaining confectioners’ sugar into a large bowl and add marshmallows in batches, tossing to evenly coat. Marshmallows keep in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 1 week.