Homemade Orange Marshmallows

Fall heralds a time of year when an assortment of beverages not enjoyed during any other period become a routine offering until the next change of season transpires. The crisp cool air, camp fires, and comfy sweaters are made for wrapping one's hands around a steaming hot mug. For me, it's hot chocolate made from rich dark cocoa, not the convenient packaged versions, rather the prepared from scratch topped with marshmallows rendition. Visualize the same spicy Mayan delicacy Vianne poured in the movie Chocolat and that's my preferred version, but I also like an assortment of other preparations. Chocolate changes lives no matter the version you are consuming (so would say my friend Karen Hawkins the romance novelist). I personally rank marshmallows high on the pleasure list of self indulgence, right up there with creme fraiche and whipped cream. Perhaps these delicate white clouds are the yang to the yin of chocolate. I could happily eat them singularly all day long as well as on whatever they were actually prepared to be served with. Made from scratch hot chocolate, homemade marshmallows, there's a great deal of love in my mug right now. This marshmallow recipe is from Giada DeLaurentis (Giada at Home, Sugar Rush episode)

Ingredients

* Butter, for greasing the pan
* Powdered sugar, for dusting
* 1/2 cup water, plus 1/4 cup
* 3 tablespoons (3 packets) unflavored gelatin
* 2 cups sugar
* 1/2 cup evaporated milk
* 1 large orange, zested
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* Orange decorating sugar*
* *Can be found at cake decorating stores
* Special equipment: a candy thermometer

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/homemade-orange-marshmallows-recipe/index.html