Homemade Marshmallows
I have been wanting to make these for a long while now. I always pass by them at the check-out at Whole Foods and while my mother never made homemade marshmallows, the memories of having the pre-packaged ones with hot chocolate on a cold winters day are very vivid and nostalgic.
This recipe is from Martha Stewart. I have to say that cutting them is a little tricky. Even though I used my sharpest knife, which happens to be a ridiculously sharp knife, I couldn’t get that perfectly smooth edge - it was just so gooey. I did the oiling the knife trick, but that still wasn’t good enough. So while they aren’t perfect squares, they still taste very good. I am looking forward to making some hot chocolate now!
Recipe: Homemade Marshmallows adapted from Martha Stewart
Makes about 16-24 marshmallows
Ingredients:
Vegetable Oil, for brushing
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/8 tspn salt
3/4 cup of water
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 tspn pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
Directions:
1 Line dish with parchment, allowing 2 inch overhang on side
2 Put granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt and 1/2 of water into a saucepan, and bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cook, without stirring, until the syrup registers 238 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 9 minutes.
3 Meanwhile, put remaining water into a mixer bowl. Sprinkle with gelatin, and let soften 5 minutes.
4 Transfer bowl with gelatin to mixer. With mixer on low speed, beat hot syrup into gelatin mixture. Gradually raise speed to high, and beat until mixture is very soft, about 7-10 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Pour into prepared baking dish, and smooth with an offset spatula (oiled). Let stand, uncovered, until firm, about 3 hours.
5 Sift some confectioners sugar onto a work surface, un-mold marshmallows on top, and remove parchment. Lightly brush a knife with oil and then trim edges and cut marshmallows. Dip each in sugar to cover. Marshmallows can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Enjoy!
They look delicious! What a great idea!
I once read that you could dust your knife with icing sugar while cutting marshmallows. Don’t
know if it works though. I think the rough edges give it a nice homemade feeling. I’m definitely going to try this one!
Lisa, that sounds like a great idea. I should try that. Thanks for writing
Wow!
These are super.
I tweaked them a bit by adding food coloring and sprinkles, to give a pastel-themed Easter look.
They are going to look fantastic when I cut them with my bunny cookie cutter!!!
Nora, I am so happy they worked out well for you. And I can only imagine how sweet they must look in pastels and sprinkle… perfect for easter.
Orange - So in the bowl with the gelatin, add the zest of one large orange, 6 drops yellow and 2 drops red food coloring, and 1/4 tsp citric acid (’sour salt’). Then, after you cut them up, dip 1/2 of each in dark chocolate.
I cut them with a pizza wheel, and dust everything with a mix of 1/2 conf. sugar and 1/2 cornstarch.