Growing up in New Jersey, we couldn't always find them, so they were (and are) are a real treat. So when I wanted to make something nice for my mother, I thought I would make homemade mallowmars, because if I'm going to do something, I may as well do it in the most labor intensive way possible, yes? Or it's because it allows me to make cookies, candy and chocolate dip something all for one purpose.
Making these things is time consuming, but not 'difficult' in the way that making a baked alaska is difficult. It takes a lot of steps, but no one step is tricky.
Step 1: make the cookie base. I used a half batch of the "Joy of Cooking" sugar cookie dough, using an 1.5 inch cookie cutter, and it yielded a 100 bases.
You want to have extras, for testing at every step and to allow for failure (cookie cracks, flips over in the marshmallow stage, chocolate coating doesn't cover evenly). I had about a 10% loss from start to finish, but your results may vary depending on the number of people who insist on taste testing and your ability to handle things with fingers covered in culinary superglue.
Step 2: Pipe on marshmallow. This requires some hand strength, or ingenuity. Preferably both. This is the biggest 'cookie down!' part, because if the cookie lands marshmallow side down, (as you can see happened to two in this picture) there's no hope for that one. I use Alton Brown's recipe, which has never failed me. Actually, I don't think I've ever had a recipe of his fail.
Step 3: After letting the marshmallow set for 4 hours, melt some chocolate. I like Ghiradelli 60% cacao chocolate chips, because they melt the best to give a not too thick, even coating and keep the temper the best. I melt them in a double boiler, because it yields the smoothest result.
Step 4: Dip the cookies in the chocolate, let sit overnight to set. Enjoy!
They may not be as pretty as the ones that come out of a box, but they taste a whole lot better. And totally worth the effort.
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