Edible Gifts: Earl Grey Marshmallows, Seeded Toffee Bark, Maple Granola
I’m heading to California today!!!! It’s been half a year since I’ve been back, and I’m so excited to see my parents, my friends, and hit up all my favorite eats. It seems like every year we get busier, so any opportunity to go and see family is precious, and I cherish my time with them. Also, my parents have the best garden – persimmons, a giant orange tree, lemon, fig, lots of herbs!! It’s such a privilege to be able to go home and cook with my parents, who of course inspired this blog’s creation. I can’t wait to sit down and chomp down my moms’ cooking again! What are your plans for the holidays?
And of course, I have another amazing holiday giveaway for you – something that will directly help you make treats such as these: a copper Mauviel sugar pot!!! It’s got a pouring spout and everything – perfect for caramels, marshmallows, and other candies. Scroll down for details!
I’m so excited to share these edible gifts with you. Every year I struggle with gifts for friends and colleagues, something meaningful and thoughtful. This year, I decided to cook up a storm and give bags of my favorite holiday treats and couldn’t resist adding in my favorite maple olive oil granola. Earl Grey marshmallows are like soft fluffy pillows with that wonderful fragrant bergamot flavor that melts so perfectly in hot chocolate or in s’mores. The seeded toffee bark is, once again, borne of my nut-allergy envy to all the nutty toffees and barks out there, and it’s so good. I wish I could say you wont’ miss the nuts, but since I’ve never had them, I can’t say that. But. This seeded toffee bark is delicious – with a touch of bourbon and flaky salt, the result is a complex, salty but sweet bark that I could not stop eating during studying (not a good idea).
These marshmallows are from Molly’s cookbook, Molly on The Range, and like this scallion pancake challah, this recipe was easy and straightforward, and the marshmallows fluffed up in no time. I used steeped earl grey tea instead of water, and also ground up a ton of earl grey tea leaves for extra flavor, leaving beautiful specks of ground tea in the marshmallow. I was nervous about cutting into them, but it turned out to be so easy, and I was rewarded with beautiful soft and fluffy squares of heaven. Homemade marshmallows are leaps and bounds more tasty, in both flavor and texture, than store-bought ones. I’m definitely making them when I’m in California. Alex’s family makes s’mores every winter during holiday gatherings, and this year I’m going to fancy it up by whipping up homemade marshmallows :).
Earl Grey Marshmallow
adapted from Molly On The Range
Marshmallow Mix:
¼ cup powdered sugar
¼ cup cornstarchMarshmallows
¾ cup steeped earl grey tea
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ tbsp ground earl grey tea leaves
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
¾ cup sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
pinch salt
Make the “mix” – sift together powdered sugar and cornstarch. Sift onto a greased square 8×8 baking pan, and dust sides and bottom with half of the marshmallow mixture.
In a stand mixer with whisk attachment, combine ½ cup of the steeled earl grey tea and ground earl grey tea leaves. Sprinkle gelatin over this liquid.
In a small saucepan with candy thermometer in place, whisk together sugar, corn syrup, salt, and remaining ¼ cup tea. Heat over medium-high until the thermometer reaches 240F. Immediately turn off heat and head over to the stand mixer.
With mixture on low, slowly stream in hot mixture down the side (without touching the whisk). Then, increase speed slowly to high, and mix for 7-10 minutes, until the side of the bowl is no longer hot to touch. Mixture should be fluffy and lukewarm.
Prepare a greased rubber spatula.
Immediately scrape into prepared pan and spread evenly. Dust top with marshmallow mixture. Let sit for 1 hour. Cut into squares with a sharp knive, dust the exposed edges with more the mixture. To store, shake off excess mixture, and store in layers between parchment paper in airtight container.
Toffees and barks are classic holiday treats, but oftentimes they’re filled with delicious sounding nuts that I unfortunately can’t eat. Much as I did with this seeded pie, I decided to make a seed-heavy toffee bark, with a layer of salt and variety of seeds, chocolate, and crunchy toffee. YUM. I added in a swirl of bourbon because, why not?
Seeded Bourbon Toffee Bark
adapted from Bon Appetit
1 stick unsalted butter
¾ cup sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
2 tbsp bourbon
½ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp baking soda
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
½ tsp maldon flaky sea salt
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan with a candy thermometer clipped, melt butter into bourbon, sugars, salt, and 2 tbsp water. Cook over medium heat, swirling every so often, until the thermometer reaches 300F, around 7-9 minutes. The mix will appear a deep golden brown.
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and then sprinkle baking soda evenly over surface. Immediately scrape into the baking sheet and spread evenly across parchment paper. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Drizzle chocolate over toffee and spread evenly. Scatter seeds evenly. Sprinkle with sea salt. Let sit for another 2 hours, until you can break into large shards.
This granola is my go-to. It’s made, without fail, every 2-3 weeks, because it’s my absolute favorite. It’s based off of a Food52 genius recipe for olive oil granola, and it’s so customizable – my current variation, and the one I gave away, includes pistachios (it’s the one tree nut I can eat), seeds, coconut flakes, and maple syrup. It’s not too sweet,
Olive Oil Maple Granola
adapted from food52’s genius recipe.
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 cup coconut shreds
1/2 cup crushed pistachios
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
coarse salt
Turn oven to 300F. Mix everything together until well combined. Spread granola on a parchment-lined, rimmed baking sheet. Spread granola in an even layer. Bake at 300F for 45 minutes, making sure to stir every 15 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with some salt. Cool completely.
GIVEAWAY
Thank you to all who entered! The giveaway is now closed, and I absolutely loved reading all your edible gifts. This makes me wish the next holiday season would come sooner so I could make MORE edible gifts!!! Congrats to Mimi, and may all your candy making dreams come true!
I loving giving out peppermint meringue kisses every year for Christmas. They are a great alternative to all the heavy sweets we eat this time of year.
Yum yum yum yum. Need all of these in my face. That is all.
What an incredible trio betty! You’ve outdone yourself creatively, I’m so enamoured with these flavor combos girl! I hope you’re feeling better and have the most wonderful holiday at home with your fam. Merry Christmas! Xx
This is such a fun idea! I really need to get on making vegan marshmallows, but I love the toffee variation here 🙂 Happy and safe travels back home!
I love giving homemade truffles!
I love making and giving away Marshmallows as a sweet gift , their beautiful and perfect at Christmas, and also in Summer at my children’s Summer stand.
I love making chocolate covered pretzels for a gift. They’re delicious, super simple, and very relaxing to make <3
I LOVE sending out boxes of my grandmas Christmas cookies with truffles!
Nougat!
These are such creative ideas Betty! I have been wanting to make some edible gifts as additional gifts for friends and family, and I especially love the earl grey marshmallows! Also that pouring shot at the end…whoah <3 <3 Hope you have the best time with your family in CA!
Scandinavian jelly slices
I love making spicy gingerbread reindeer cookies for xmas gifts for friends and coworkers.
I love matzo crack!
My favorite edible gift is definitely chocolate chip cookies.:)
I always love salty treats as gifts!
Besan (chickpea flour) crackers or dark chocolate macadamia clusters.
This year I’m giving out homemade grapefruit curd! It’s perfect spread on toast alongside butter:) I’m trying to learn to make seasonal treats!
I will be giving away homade whoopie pies and choclate fudge.
Love it! I’m attempting to make marshmallows this weekend!
That seeded bourbon toffee bark looks amazing!
I love a good homemade granola along with a good nutty toffee bar.
I’m such a lurker…… but decided today was the day to say (even before I realized you were doing a give away)… You are such an inspiration…. the imagery…. the recipes….all so beautiful. Nuts & Bolts and Poppy Cock because my aunt made them every year for as long as I can remember. We miss her so much.
happy holidays…. xx
Granola. Friends and family can never get enough!
I’d have to say a mini quickbreads or cakes they are so cute to package up!
I would be the happiest guy in the world to receive these edible gifts this xmas!! Truly magical photos, Betty 🙂
When I was in Italy I almost never had a big budget for Christmas gifts, so I always prepared something to eat! I made sesame bars, chocolate cookies, almond-date spread, sometimes some typical italian biscuits….I used to spend days in my kitchen before the holidays 😀 If I had to prepare something now, I’ll surely go with the superfood fudge I have in my cookbook : they’re so healthy and delicious!
How could I pick just one? This time of year, it’s peanut butter balls, a Christmas concoction I’ve been making with my family for over two decades now.
I love giving homemade jam. My most popular is a savory sweet onion jam with brandy!
Homemade coconut granola!
My favorite edible giveaway is definitely marshmallows and cocoa mix. They are two things that people never tend to think of as homemade so it’s always a cute surprise when people receive them. And they are always better than what you can get at a store!
Favorite edible gift hmm… I think flavored nuts or see’s candy sound great lol.
honey lavender castella
My favorite edible treat is granola and spicy candied nuts.
BTW, how gorgeous are these photos my friend. <3
Safe travels to CA.
Sending you much love and hugs. <3
I love making French macaronsfor gufts! They look so impressive and are super cute!!
Happy Holidays 🎄I have been making Butter cookies as a Christmas treat for years🎅🏻Family and friends look so forward to them🎁Safe travels and Enjoy your time with family ❣
I love divinity.
That pot, I AM IN LOVE. I would say my favorite treat to make for gifting around the holidays is super old school and kind of ridiculous. It’s that saltine cracker toffee bark that takes about 10 seconds to make. Reminds me of my grandma!
These marshmallows look amazing. I love to include jars of citrus jelly in my gifts. It’s like marmalade without the rind that some people dislike.
I really love giving candied, dark chocolate dipped orange slices as gifts! Definitely tastes like Christmas to me.
My favorite treat are spiced pecans.
Love these recipes!! My all time favorite treat is toffee. I’m addicted to it – too much!! Happy Holidays!!
I don’t have a name for them since my Aunt taught me, but they are clouds of meringue with Hershey kisses inside. So delicous!
I love gifting edible treats for the holidays! Everyone always seems to enjoy a little something extra and unexpected. My go-to gifts are spicy roasted nuts or seasonally-spiced granola.
I like baking malt and rye bread for people as it’s something very Finnish, and something you can’t really find good ingredients for here in California. I bring my malt from Finland. I’m looking forward to making the marshmallows because they look sooo delicious. So does the seeded bark. Thanks for sharing! Enjoy your holiday time in California! 🙂
I love granola of all flavors, and I’m a big fan of cranberry orange anything! But I can’t wait to make early grey marshmallows. I’m going to use a different basic recipe for the marshmallows–one from a Paleo blogger, but the early grey flavor sounds amazing!
I love making cookies and jam! This year Dorie Greenspan cookies are on my hit list.
I love homemade granola!
I think infused olive oils are such fun, also different flavors and varieties of nut butters top my list. 🙂 That food52 granola is one of my faves too!
earl grey marshmallows?! i want them in everything.
i still haven’t finalized what i’m making for gifts this year, but i usually end up making something fruity, something chocolate minty, something nutty/sweet red beany/etc.
OH my goodness these all look so delicious!! Love the shots and styling too, so excited to share on Pinterest!! Happy Christmas to you, Betty! I hope your trip is amazing x
I love making little pear tarts with frangipane on nice puff pastry with local pears, lots of meted butter, and powdered sugar!
I like baking and giving potica, either poppy seed or walnut, it’s a family tradition.
I make jam every year and by Christmas the summer berry flavor seems exotic and exciting. My recipe is Blackberries (cooked down and strained of seeds)/Lemon Juice/Turbinado Sugar/Vanilla Bean (scrape out the seeds and add them to the Lemon Juice – cook the pod with the Berries and strain it out too). People go slightly insane for this stuff.
I love homemade truffles and marshmallows!
This is so beautiful! Ok, I think my favorite homemade gift is something not too sweet and useful, like granola or biscuits. Lord knows I don’t really need anymore sweets in my house!
I love making dark chocolate covered peanuty nougat and bourbon caramels. I am definitelygoing to make the earl grey marshmallows! And I really want that copper pot!
Hi Betty,
Can you please share where these mugs are from?
So in love😻
My oh my!!! Those marshmallows look to die for and I….here goes nothing…tend to hate marshmallows. Phew. ^_^
My favorite edible gifts are those that are truly uniquely made, like homemade flavors of cookies or some kind of coffee cake. Yummmm.
Honestly, I would be happy with any type of edible gift (as long as I don’t get food poisoning) because it’s the thought that counts.
I love my dad’s salted chocolate caramels!
Love the marshmallows! I’ve been seeing so many recipes for them lately- but the earl grey is definitely something new! Really want to try them out!
I love homemade granola, it’s one of my fav Xmas gifts. I use to do homemade vanilla extract too but vanilla bean prices have gone out of control! Now since I know how to make chocolate, everyone in the family gets chocolate or chocolate dipped cookies.
Oh my gosh I’ve always wanted some Mauviel pots!!!! Robert and I also make my standard “seedy maple granola” (from the blog) for a few people on our list, and they’ve requested it as a repeat gift. So easy to make, so easy to please. 😉 Happy Holidays and enjoy your time at home!
your photos are stunning!! i love ube anything and everything– hmm.. maybe some ube marshmallows?!
My favorite edible gift to give is either truffles or a pie 🍴💘
I’m the queen of the cookie swap! I have a ball making cookies, wrapping them in pretty packages, and giving them away! Now, I can make your marshmallows to go in my s’mores package.
I love making flavor salt, and different flavor marshmallow
Your photos are divine!
I love a simple Scandinavian lefse with butter and cinnamon sugar.
kind of basic, but cookies are my favorite edible gift to give and receive!
I make my mom’s snickerdoodle/gingerbread duos, really smart cookies.
Orangettes! Tedious but a guaranteed hit.
I love making shortbread cookies, especially flavored with matcha or earl grey! Edible gifts are honestly the best thing in the world.
Love making & giving madeleines but love receiving salted caramels. I know better than to make caramel so I’d rather wait for it to come to me via some lovely soul.
My favorite edible gift is my best friend’s banana nut bread. She bakes loaves for everyone each Christmas and I’m hoping to get one this week.
those marshmallows look amazing! my favorite homemade edible gifts are anything toffee 🙂
I really love your blog!! I am love making molasses granola as gifts!
Cookies Cookies Cookies and Chocolate of any kind, also pie.
Toffee with coffee please
My fav is popcorn – all flavors!
I love biscotti because it keeps well after the holidays and goes well with hot cocoa and coffee!
Homemade holiday gifts are everything! As usual, your photos are stunning and all I want to do is rush home and make everything you just posted! I am def. going to try my hand at those unreal earl grey marshmallows – I will be sure to tag you!
I love gifting friends and family with cookies.
I love giving black forest cookies and I love getting fudge
I’ve been baking since I was 10 years old, & while my skills have improved with time 🙂 I still give sweets–baked goods or confections–as gifts. Over the last few years, my Linzer cookies have proven to be the most coveted, always disappearing from the cookie box first!
I love homemade apple butter! It’s a tradition of ours to make a giant batch and pass them out as Christmas gifts, plus a few extra cans to keep those sweet fall flavors around all year. I would totally dig into that toffee (and make it disappear in one sitting), though! <3
Hands down, grandmas’s Hershey Kiss drop cookies. No one can duplicate them <3
Earl grey marshmallows!!! To die for😋
My sister and I making them together.. priceless!!
❤sending love
Chayo
cookies are my weakness so they love them as gifts!
this sugar pot is literally heaven. i’m seriously so in love with anything by mauviel. my favorite edible treat has to be graham cracker toffee bark. i can’t stop eating it and it’s a perfect gift!
Love handing out pre made cookie mixes!
One of my favorites that I haven’t had in far too long is peanut brittle.
My favorite things to give as gifts are sour cherry financiers!
I love, love, love chocolate chip pancakes on Christmas morning. And this pot is beautiful!
Granola…so many variations and slightly ‘healthy’. 😉
I love giving lollipops. My mom used to make them when I was little and now that I’m older I help make an assortment of candies and lollies to hand out to friends! It’s such a fun tradition!
This blog post is stunning Betty! We give pretty jars of layered cookie mix. My daughter had been measuring them out since she was tiny.
Hallacas! (A Venezuelan Christmas necessity)
Cheese crackers – something savory to balance out all the holiday sweets!
Pound cake..dozens of pound cakes with Blueberry jam and ice cream!!
Beautiful post, as always! My favorite edible gift is chocolate truffles. I make them every holiday with sea salt and calvados.
It’s a tie between the breakfast bundles my aunt makes (sausage and eggs in pyhllo parcels) or my moms UPSETTINGLY good sugar cookies.
Favorite edible treat at the moment homemade whipped cream…YUM
I am making homemade larabars for my gift exchange recipient and peppermint patties (fingers crossed they go well) to my in-laws.
I love making and receiving gingersnap molasses cookies!! Always a crowd pleaser
caramels and jam are always fun to make and give!
Like your ideas and photography work, mine would be cream cheese cinnamon roll-ups.
My favorite edible treats are Rosemary Soft caramel chews which I’d LOVE to make with this saucepan!!! 😍
Peppermint Bark!
My favorite edible gift is granola! They are so easy to make and makes a great gift. I make it all the time. I gotta try your recipe next time!
crispy/chewy chocolate chip cookies!
I love making a mix of cookies and giving someone a little taste of everything!
favorite edible gift has always been spiced nuts, because i like a little something savory. or chocolate dipped sponge candy. but, i would gladly take any of these gifts Betty! so incredibly beautiful, as always.
xo
Blue cheese and pecan cookies
I love making homemade biscuits for the pups. It’s such an easy thing to do and they will always woof them down no matter if they are good or not. 🙂
Well, I love anything chocolate… 😀
I make a sugar cookie recipe with an Andies mint in the middle, they make a great baked gift.
I like giving and baking banana bread as a gift to others.:)
Will definitely be trying out all of these recipes! And my favorite edible gift is lemon curd
I love giving olive oil infused with herbs and homemade pickles and jams.
There’s just something about homemade chocolate covered pretzels that is so satisfying as a gift!
Olive bread!
my favorite is chocolate and coffee
my favorite is chocolate and coffee
I like gifting either chocolate chip cookies or snicker doodles to others!
ALL of it looks mouthwatering!!
Chocolate covered strawberries. I can never get enough!
banana bread 🙂
I like to make homemade breads and truffles to give as gifts.
I like Haystacks 🙂
I love chocolate chip cookies!!!
mmm mmmmmmm
Making truffles or fudge
Granola as a starter in the morning is sooo good and also the beste Gift in my oppinion :-). Love it just with fresh yoghurt.
TOFFEE is my favorite and it is so underated.
Chocolate chip cookies! Or any mini cupcakes 🙂
I love all kinds of edible gifts. One of my favorites are peanut butter blossoms. I also love fudge.