Ube Ditto Marshmallows in a Matcha Latte for Ultimate Cozy Vibes

If you ask me, cold winter weather is worth it for the soothing drinks alone. I've always loved sipping hot cocoa or lattes in the comfort of my home while snow falls peacefully outside. And while traditional mini marshmallows are a fine addition to these cozy wintertime beverages, I've often wished I could dress up my drinks with flavored specialty marshmallows—but they can be tough to come by. The solution? DIY, of course! Enter: my very own recipe for ube marshmallows.

Making homemade marshmallows might sound intimidating, but these ube marshmallows require just a few ingredients: water, sugar, gelatin, ube extract and cornstarch. To take my marshmallow recipe to the next level, I dreamed up a Pokémon-themed design that would make Pikachu proud: Ditto-shaped 'mallows. Other beloved Pokémon, like Mew, Bulbasaur or Squirtle, might have required a bit more expertise and shaping, but the fact that Ditto is essentially a blob makes him an accessible design choice for beginners. The gamers, anime enthusiasts and Pokémon fans in your life will be especially impressed, but these Ditto marshmallows will delight just about anyone.

For a perfect pairing, I whipped up a matcha latte to accompany my adorable marshmallows. The addition of a green matcha background reminds me of spotting Pokémon in the wild (and catching 'em all!). Ready to create your own batch? Let's get making!

Measure all the ingredients into separate bowls. This will reduce your work and time later.

In a large heat-safe mixing bowl (this means no plastic, as you'll be pouring hot liquid into it later) or the bowl of a stand mixer, pour 1/4 cup cold water and then sprinkle one envelope of gelatin on top. Set it aside to let the gelatin soak up the liquid.

In a saucepan, add 1/4 cup water and all the sugar. Turn the heat to medium and let it cook for a few minutes until the sugar fully dissolves.

When the mixture starts boiling, check the temperature using a candy thermometer. Once it reaches about 240°F/115°C, remove the sugar and water mixture from the heat.

On a medium speed, whip the bloomed gelatin while slowly drizzling in the hot sugar syrup.

Add ube extract and whip for about 10 minutes or until the mixture is thick and glossy and has doubled in size and reached soft peaks. It should be easily spreadable.

Be careful not to overwhip or the resulting marshmallows will fall apart and be hard to spread.

Reserve about 1 Tbsp. of marshmallow mixture and set it aside in a small bowl for later. Transfer the remaining marshmallow batter into a piping bag.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper and then coat the entire surface with cornstarch. Pipe the Ditto shapes on top. Again, if the marshmallow mixture starts to set while in the piping bag, pop it in the microwave at two- to three-second intervals.

Melt the reserved 1 Tbsp. of marshmallow mix in a microwave for three to five seconds and then stir in black food coloring. Use a toothpick or cookie scribe to draw on Ditto's face.

Fully coat the Dittos in cornstarch and let them sit for about 10 minutes. Brush off the excess.

Measure out the ingredients.

Whisk together the sifted matcha until frothy. Stir in the sweetener of your choice.

Add the frothed matcha to your mug along with warmed milk. Add extra water, milk or sweetener to taste. Plop on a Ditto marshmallow and enjoy! Store the marshmallows in an airtight container. Keep it in a cool, dry space for up to one month.

When paired with these Pokémon marshmallows, any hot beverage will feel cozier than a hug from Snorlax. If that weren't enough, you now have the skills for making all sorts of marshmallows at home—so get creative, get mixing and bring your sweet ideas to life.