Mocha Marshmallow Pops

LINE 9 x 9-inch or 8 x 8-inch pan with plastic wrap and lightly oil it using your fingers or non-stick cooking spray. 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 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil. As soon as it is boiling, set the timer and allow to boil hard for 1 minute.

CAREFULLY pour the boiling syrup into soaked gelatin and turn on the mixer, using the whisk attachment, starting on low and moving up to high speed.

Add the salt and beat for between 10 and 12 minutes, or until fluffy and mostly cooled to almost room temperature. After it reaches that stage, add in the extract and beat to incorporate.

LINE an 8x8-inch pan (or a 9x13-inch pan for thinner marshmallows) with plastic wrap and spray it generously with non-stick cooking spray or oil. Generously oil your hands and a rubber or silicone spatula as well. Scrape the marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan, pressing it into the corners and into an even layer. Grease another piece of plastic wrap and place it on top of the marshmallow, oiled side down. Again, press gently.

Let rest for six or so hours or until it has firmed up all the way through.

Dust a countertop with confectioners sugar.

Remove the marshmallows from the pan and plastic wrap and place on the dusted surface. Dip a heart shaped, open-topped cookie cutter in more confectioners sugar and cut as many marshmallows as you can, re-dipping the cutter in confectioners sugar between each cut.

Place the marshmallows on a parchment or waxed paper lined cookie sheet and insert a candy or popsicle stick into the bottom of and up about 2/3 of the way through each marshmallow.

Place the pan, uncovered, in the freezer for 30 minutes.

While the marshmallows are getting super firm, combine the milk chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute, stir well, and return to the microwave for 10 second bursts on HIGH, stirring well after each burst, until the mixture is completely smooth.

Let rest at room temperature for 5 minutes before proceeding.

You may either dip the marshmallows, letting excess drip off before returning to the lined pan, or drizzle the chocolate artistically over them with a spoon. Either way is delicious and beautiful.

Let the chocolate firm up before wrapping the marshmallow pops individually. They are good tightly wrapped or in an airtight container- for a week at room temperature.