French Toast Marshmallows

A few weeks ago I found this recipe on slashfood.com 

I had never attempted marshmallows but I had to give them a try.  My first batch were made with vanilla extract and a scrapped vanilla bean.  They were delicious!  Marshmallows are much easier to make than I thought.  

I am not a huge fan of marshmallows in general, or so I thought.  One bite of these babies and I am hooked!  Homemade marshmallows shouldn't even be compared to "JetPuffed" or the like.

So then the wheels started turning.  What kind of flavors could I use?  Chocolate didn't appeal to me since I prefer ooey gooey warm chocolate things than just a chocolate flavor.  With fall approaching I wanted to use a fallish flavor.  (I wouldn't know it was fall by the weather since in South Florida we only have two seasons: blisteringly hot, and hot.)  I decided that I needed maple marshmallows.  I had recently purchased maple extract from Vanilla, Saffron Imports.  I used close to a tablespoon.  I didn't measure.  I just did it by taste (sorry!)  Then I dusted them in the cornstarch/powdered sugar/cinnamon mixture.  

They were a hit!  People told me they tasted like French Toast with the maple and cinnamon flavors.

So thus was born the French Toast Marshmallow

(Don't forget to toast a few with the ole' Creme Brulee Torch!)

French Toast Marshmallows

.75-oz unflavored gelatin (3 envelopes of Knox gelatin)
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cups light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon maple extract 

Line 9 x 9-inch pan with plastic wrap and lightly oil it. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Soak for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil and boil hard for 1 minute.
Pour the boiling syrup into soaked gelatin and turn on the mixer, using the whisk attachment, to high speed. Add the salt and beat for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, add in the vanilla extract beat to incorporate. 
Scrape marshmallow into the prepared pan and spread evenly (Lightly greasing your hands and the spatula helps a lot here).  Refrigerate mixture for about an hour  (or let mixture sit out covered for a few hours, or overnight,) until cooled and firmly set.
In a shallow dish, combine equal parts cornstarch and confectioners' sugar and 1/2 teaspoon (or less, to taste) cinnamon. Remove marshmallow from pan and cut into equal pieces with scissors (the best tool for the job) or a chef's knife. Dredge each piece of marshmallow in confectioners' sugar mixture. 
Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 40 large marshmallows, depending on the size you choose to cut them.