Magical Treats at Home

marshmallow-wand

Strawberry Shortcake Marshmallow Wands

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Strawberry Shortcake Marshmallow Wands // magicaltreatsathome.com

Where can I find the original treat?

  • This seasonal treat can be found all over the Disneyland resort.

I had opened our mini freezer the other day, the freezer that I keep all my backup ingredients in for this site, and for my drinks site, Stir and Strain, and realized I had everything before me to make another round of marshmallow wands. If you take away one good tidbit from this post, I hope it’s that marshmallow wands, after they have been coated in caramel, freeze beautifully. And even after almost 6 months, once fully decorated, they still taste fresh. But so anyways, I also had a bag of crumbled shortbread in that freezer. And a bag of freeze dried strawberries. I had everything ready to go to make Strawberry Shortcake Marshmallow Wands. So that’s what we’re making today!

Strawberry Shortcake Marshmallow Wands // magicaltreatsathome.com

This treat appeared during Valentine’s Day among the many other delicious treats on sticks at Disneyland. It definitely was a contender for the site, but I had to narrow it down to just a few items since the treats were released right before the holiday, and soon after would be leaving the cases. Since we’re in the middle of a hiatus from new park treats, I’ll be making a few past ones here until I’m back once again, strolling the candy cases and shoving chocolate in my face. Fingers crossed I don’t have to wait until a year from now to do that.

Strawberry Shortcake Marshmallow Wands // magicaltreatsathome.com

What I love about this treat is the buttery contrast of the cookie to the sweeeeeeeet white chocolate, caramel, and marshmallow. The strawberry bits add a nice zing to it as well. It’s definitely a sweet treat, but I wouldn’t write this off as just for kids.

But speaking of kids! Kids can help assemble these and dip in the chocolate and decorate. Older kids comfortable with a stove, and good common sense, can help dip in the caramel, but under supervision.

And if you’re wondering, the reason I had a container of marshmallow wands in the freezer is because I find melting the caramel in larger batches is easier to work with when making things like the wands. It stays liquid longer, and heats more evenly. The downside though is that there is a lot left over since I’m using more than I need. So now when I have extra caramel, I’ll just grab some lollipop sticks and some marshmallows (Another panic buy from March was a case of marshmallows. I’m thinking maybe I might start selling these as kits…), and I’ll coat a batch of marshmallows, place them on parchment and freeze. So far, after a 6 month hibernation, these were still great.

Strawberry Shortcake Marshmallow Wands // magicaltreatsathome.com

For the cookies, homemade or store bought is fine. But make sure you’re using a butter cookie, not a sugar cookie! And with that, I hope you enjoy these Strawberry Shortcake Marshmallow Wands!

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Strawberry Shortcake Marshmallow Wands // magicaltreatsathome.com

Strawberry Shortcake Marshmallow Wands

  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: 6 Strawberry Shortcake Marshmallow Wands 1x
Print Recipe

Description

The classic caramel coated marshmallow wand gets a sweet upgrade with a layer of white chocolate and a buttery shortbread cookie crumble and tart strawberry coating! A Disneyland-inspired treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

  1. Place 3 marshmallows on each lollipop stick and set aside on a parchment lined sheet pan.
    Churro Marshmallow Wand // magicaltreatsathome.com
  2. Mix together the crushed shortbread and freeze dried strawberries in a large, shallow bowl that can accommodate the length of the marshmallow wand. If you cannot crush the strawberries by hand (some brands are chewier than others), a quick blitz in the food processor or coffee grinder should render them fine enough to mix with the cookies. Set aside.
    Strawberry Shortcake Marshmallow Wands // magicaltreatsathome.com
  3. Unwrap all the caramels and add to a small saucepan. Pour water in and heat over medium-low heat.
  4. Stir constantly until everything has melted and caramels are smooth (about 7-8 minutes).
  5. Once melted (caramels should drip in a ribbon from a spoon back into the pan), dip each wand into the caramel, turning quickly to coat OR ladle the caramel over the wand, turning to coat. Let excess caramel drip off for at least 30 seconds, turning while it drips for even coating, tap the wand gently but firmly on the edge of the pan to remove any additional excess caramel, and then place back on the  parchment.
    Churro Marshmallow Wand // magicaltreatsathome.com
  6. When all the wands have been dipped, place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes so that the caramel will be set for dipping.
    Churro Marshmallow Wand // magicaltreatsathome.com
  7. While the caramels set, melt your white chocolate for coating. Combine the white candy melts and coconut oil in the microwave inside a microwave safe bowl, like glass, for 30 seconds. Stir and microwave again for an additional 30 seconds. Keep stirring and microwaving in short bursts of 15-20 seconds until melted and smooth. Use can alternatively use a double boiler for melting. Do not let the white chocolate get over 110°f as it can burn the chocolate (use a candy thermometer if you’re not sure about this).
  8. Remove the marshmallow wands from the refrigerator. You’ll know they are set when they lift easily off the parchment. If they still stick, keep them in 5 minutes longer.
  9. Set up the shortbread cookie and strawberry mix bowl next to your white chocolate.
  10. Dip the marshmallow wand in the white chocolate, or ladle chocolate over, turning to coat. Tap the stick firmly on the side of your pan to remove any excess chocolate. Then immediately roll in the cookie/strawberry mix, gently pressing the mix onto the white chocolate. Then place back on the parchment.
  11. Repeat with the remaining marshmallow wands.
  12. Let sit at least 30 minutes to firm up or in the refrigerator for quicker results. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Melted caramel is HOT! Use caution in the kitchen. Do not dip your fingers or hands into the caramel has it can adhere to skin and burn you. Keep away from children.
  • Use hot water to remove caramel from pans and utensils.
  • If the marshmallow wands start to stick to the parchment while you are dipping and coating, stick the pan with the un-coated wands back to chill in the refrigerator for a few minutes. If your kitchen is really hot, keep them in there the whole time, taking one at a time out to coat and decorate.
  • If you have extra melted caramel that has dried around your wand, use kitchen shears to remove it immediately after removing from the refrigerator.
  • Extra caramel coated marshmallow wands may be placed on a sheet of parchment in a single layer inside an airtight container and frozen for up to 6 months. No need to defrost them before use.
  • Did your chocolate coating break when you first dipped your wand in? Wait for the chocolate to cool down more. It should drip freely from a spoon without it seizing when the spoon is shaken slightly (will cause crevices in the chocolate on the spoon). If it breaks on the wand, your wand also might be too cool, so let them warm up more. And don’t worry, once that chocolate starts to firm up, you can dip it AGAIN into the chocolate to get a more even, although slightly thicker, coating.

Keywords: treat, marshmallow, caramel, white chocolate, shortbread cookies, strawberries

Strawberry Shortcake Marshmallow Wands // magicaltreatsathome.com

Churro Marshmallow Wand

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Churro Marshmallow Wand // magicaltreatsathome.com

Where can I find the original treat?

  • This holiday time treat can be found at Trolley Treats and Marceline’s Confectionery at the Disneyland Resort.

One of the cult favorite treats at Disneyland, Churro Toffee, is getting a new twist this holiday season as the coating for a marshmallow wand! What might seem like ‘sugar on a stick’ is actually a pretty tasty treat that doesn’t leave your teeth singing. And we’re making some today!

Churro Marshmallow Wand // magicaltreatsathome.com

This treat was consistently selling out when they debuted it. When I tried one at Trolley Treats in DCA, the man behind the counter told me that just moments before a guy came in and bought 12 for his coworkers. WHAT A NICE COWORKER TO HAVE!!!

I’m sure they’ll stock more, but in the meantime, making these in your kitchen is definitely an option. There’s a lot of layers here, but if you get everything lined up and ready, it’s pretty quick to move through all the steps and get a handful ready and made.

Churro Marshmallow Wand // magicaltreatsathome.com

Now, the original treat has crushed pieces of the churro toffee dusted over the outside, i.e., very, very, tiny pieces of toffee. Here I opted not to crush mine too small, so that I get some nice crunchy pieces with the soft, pillow-y marshmallows. And if you’re not familiar with these wands, they layer them as such: 3 marshmallows on a lollipop stick, dipped in caramel, and then dipped again in white chocolate and rolled in cinnamon sugar and dusted with churro toffee. I love how the buttery caramel stands in for that thick layer of toffee you get with the Churro Toffee.

If kids are helping in the kitchen, I’d stay clear of having them dip in the caramel unless they are experienced with the stove and hot things like caramel. Otherwise, dip and set the wands with the caramel, and then they can dip into the white chocolate and roll them in the cinnamon sugar and churro toffee.

Churro Marshmallow Wand // magicaltreatsathome.com

Ok churro toffee fans, time to try something a little new. And if you’re looking for a recipe for just the churro toffee, we’ve got that too! And remember to check out all our notes at the end of the recipe!

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Churro Marshmallow Wand // magicaltreatsathome.com

Churro Marshmallow Wand

  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: 6 Churro Toffee Marshmallow Wands 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Soft and fluffy marshmallow wands are enrobed in creamy caramel and dipped in white chocolate with a dusting a cinnamon-sugar and churro toffee. A holiday-time Disneyland-inspired treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

  1. Place 3 marshmallows on each lollipop stick and set aside on a parchment lined sheet pan.
    Churro Marshmallow Wand // magicaltreatsathome.com
  2. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon in a large, shallow bowl that can accommodate the length of the marshmallow wand. Set aside.
  3. Unwrap all the caramels and add to a small saucepan. Pour water in and heat over medium-low heat.
  4. Stir constantly until everything has melted and caramels are smooth (about 7-8 minutes).
  5. Once melted (caramels should drip in a ribbon from a spoon back into the pan), dip each wand into the caramel, turning quickly to coat OR ladle the caramel over the wand, turning to coat. Let excess caramel drip off for at least 30 seconds, turning while it drips for even coating, tap the wand gently but firmly on the edge of the pan to remove any additional excess caramel, and then place back on the  parchment.
    Churro Marshmallow Wand // magicaltreatsathome.com
  6. When all the wands have been dipped, place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes so that the caramel will be set for dipping.
    Churro Marshmallow Wand // magicaltreatsathome.com
  7. While the caramels set, melt your white chocolate for coating. Combine the white candy melts and coconut oil in the microwave inside a microwave safe bowl, like glass, for 30 seconds. Stir and microwave again for an additional 30 seconds. Keep stirring and microwaving in short bursts of 15-20 seconds until melted and smooth. Use can alternatively use a double boiler for melting. Do not let the white chocolate get over 110°f as it can burn the chocolate (use a candy thermometer if you’re not sure about this).
  8. Remove the marshmallow wands from the refrigerator. You’ll know they are set when they lift easily off the parchment. If they still stick, keep them in 5 minutes longer.
  9. Set up the cinnamon sugar bowl next to your white chocolate, and set out the crushed churro toffee in a small bowl as well.
  10. Dip the marshmallow wand in the white chocolate, or ladle chocolate over, turning to coat. Tap the stick firmly on the side of your pan to remove any excess chocolate. Then sprinkle churro toffee over the white chocolate and immediately roll in the cinnamon sugar. You can also ladle the sugar over the wand, turning to coat. Whatever is easiest for you! Then place back on the parchment.
  11. Repeat with the remaining marshmallow wands.
  12. Let sit at least 30 minutes to firm up or in the refrigerator for quicker results. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Melted caramel is HOT! Use caution in the kitchen. Do not dip your fingers or hands into the caramel has it can adhere to skin and burn you. Keep away from children.
  • Use hot water to remove caramel from pans and utensils.
  • If the marshmallow wands start to stick to the parchment while you are dipping and coating, stick the pan with the uncoated wands back to chill in the refrigerator for a few minutes. If your kitchen is really hot, keep them in there the whole time, taking one at a time out to coat and decorate.
  • If you have extra melted caramel that has dried around your wand, use kitchen shears to remove it immediately after removing from the refrigerator.
  • Did your chocolate coating break when you first dipped your wand in? Wait for the chocolate to cool down more. It should drip freely from a spoon without it seizing when the spoon is shaken slightly (will cause crevices in the chocolate on the spoon). If it breaks on the wand, your wand also might be too cool, so let them warm up more. And don’t worry, once that chocolate starts to firm up, you can dip it AGAIN into the chocolate to get a more even, although slightly thicker, coating.

Keywords: treat, marshmallow, caramel, white chocolate, cinnamon, toffee, churro toffee

Churro Marshmallow Wand // magicaltreatsathome.com

Cheshire Cat Tails

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Cheshire Cat Tail // magicaltreatsathome.com

Where can I find the original treat?

  • These treats can be found at the Candy Palace on Main Street in Disneyland.

These sweet treats, based on the iconic pink and purple coloring of Alice in Wonderland’s Cheshire Cat, are more than meets the eye. At its base, it’s a marshmallow wand, enrobed in a layer of caramel, and then dipped in pink colored white chocolate. The white chocolate is strawberry flavored, and the whole thing is finished with stripes of purple sanding sugar held on with white chocolate.

Cheshire Cat Tail // magicaltreatsathome.com
Wands on the left have have had excess caramel removed. Wands on the right were placed immediately onto sheet without excess caramel removed.

While these marshmallow wands might seem straightforward, there is actually a lot of temperature control needed, as well as precise ingredients. Why? Because we’re dealing with caramel and chocolate.

Now, admittedly I started this recipe off with the wrong caramel recipe. See, I have this super yummy salted caramel recipe that I love. So without thinking I started there and only when I tried to dip the marshmallows in it, and it just started falling off the marshmallows, did I realize that this yummy recipe was in fact the wrong type of caramel. A soft, liquid-y caramel is not what one wants here for two reasons. One, well, it falls off the marshmallows and does not become fully solid. And two, when the not fully solid caramel hits the very warm white chocolate… it all just melts off into a puddle. Yuck.

Cheshire Cat Tail // magicaltreatsathome.com

So, melting caramels are a good bet here. And on second try this was the perfect solution to getting a firm caramel that held up to being dipped in warm chocolate. Alternatively, there are homemade caramel recipes out there that will become solid, you’ll just need to use that type of recipe. Usually there is corn syrup in it.

With melting chocolate, there are a few factors you need to remember. First, the type of chocolate you’re using will determine how hot you can get your temperature. White chocolate, which isn’t technically chocolate, should not go above 110°f. If you temper your chocolate you will lose its temper and you also risk burning your chocolate if you get it too hot. Also, if you get your chocolate too hot, it will start to “break” when you try to coat items like these caramel covered marshmallow wands. Check out the notes below the recipe for tips dealing with this if it happens. The trick with coating is to get it warm enough to drip off your spoon and keep it warm, not hot, for even coating.

Cheshire Cat Tail // magicaltreatsathome.com

I did say this was a “kid friendly” recipe and you might think I have lost my mind. Molten caramel! Scalding hot chocolate! What the heck?! But really, the fun part for kids is the decorating. Older kids can dip wands into the pink white chocolate because really, at the dipping point the chocolate should not be hot enough to burn skin. And small kids will have lots of fun covering their marshmallow wands with purple sprinkles. And it’s OK if adults enjoy it just as much (I do!!).

So let’s get into the kitchen and whip up a batch of Cheshire Cat Tails! They’re sure to make you grin!

Cheshire Cat Tail // magicaltreatsathome.com
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Cheshire Cat Tail // magicaltreatsathome.com

Cheshire Cat Tails

  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: 6 Cheshire Cat Tails 1x
Print Recipe

Description

These ooey-gooey marshmallow wands found at the Candy Palace at the Disneyland Resort are more than meets the eye! Sweet, buttery caramel covers a marshmallow wand while the whole treat get covered in strawberry flavored pink white chocolate and topped with purple sanding sugar stripes… just like the Cheshire Cat’s tail. A Disneyland-inspired treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

  1. Place four marshmallows, round side facing out, on each lollipop stick. Set aside.
  2. Place a sheet of parchment on a sheet pan. Butter it lightly and set aside.
  3. Unwrap all the caramels and add to a small saucepan. Pour water in and heat over medium-low heat.
  4. Stir constantly until everything has melted and caramels are smooth (about 7-8 minutes).
  5. Once melted (caramels should drip in a ribbon from a spoon back into the pan), dip each wand into the caramel, turning quickly to coat. Let excess caramel drip off for at least 30 seconds, turning while it drips for even coating, and then place on the buttered parchment.
  6. When all the wands have been dipped, refrigerate for thirty minutes.
  7. About 15 minutes to wands coming out of refrigerator, set up your sanding sugar station by setting out an empty wide, shallow bowl and another bowl with sanding sugar in it.
  8. Remove wands from the refrigerator. Then, in a double boiler, combine pink candy melts, strawberry flavoring, and coconut oil (this can alternatively be melted in the microwave as well. Please see notes below.). Melt over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Do not let the temperature go above 110°f (you might want to use a candy thermometer if you’re unsure).
  9. Once smooth, dip caramel covered marshmallow wands in the chocolate, turning evenly to coat and fill in any gaps. Let the pink chocolate drip back into pan and lightly scrape one side on the edge of pan to remove any additional excess. Place back on buttered parchment. Repeat for all wands and let coating dry about 30 minutes.
  10. Next, melt the white chocolate (you can melt in a heavy duty piping bag as well), and create stripes on the first marshmallow wand, and immediately pour the purple sanding sugar over the stripes, letting excess catch in the empty bowl. You can press the wand lightly into sugar if you’d like a more thicker coating (I was fine with the lighter stripes). Set aside. Repeat with additional wands. If sanding sugar adheres to the pink coating, use a small brush to brush crystals away after fully dried. Then enjoy!

Notes

  • Melted caramel is HOT! Use caution in the kitchen. Do not dip your fingers or hands into the caramel has it can adhere to skin and burn you. Keep away from children.
  • Use hot water to remove caramel from pans and utensils.
  • If you wish to microwave your candy melts, combine them with strawberry flavoring, and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl, and heat for 30 seconds on half power, stir, and continue to microwave in about 15-20 second increments until smooth.
  • If you have extra melted caramel that has dried around your wand, use kitchen shears to remove it immediately after removing from the refrigerator.
  • Did your chocolate coating break when you first dipped your wand in? Wait for the chocolate to cool down more. It should drip freely from a spoon without it seizing when the spoon is shaken slightly (will cause crevices in the chocolate on the spoon). If it breaks on the wand, your wand also might be too cool, so let them warm up more. And don’t worry, once that chocolate starts to firm up, you can dip it AGAIN into the chocolate to get a more even, although slightly thicker, coating.

Keywords: treat, marshmallow, Candy Palace, strawberry, caramel, white chocolate

Cheshire Cat Tail // magicaltreatsathome.com
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