Learning how to make marshmallows is easy. Marshmallows are perfect for topping off a cup of hot chocolate or for simply popping into your mouth as a quick treat that you'll savor for their melt-in-your-mouth sweetness.
Homemade Marshmallow Recipe
Ingredients You Will Need:
3 packages of unflavored gelatin
½ cup ice-cold water
2 cups white granulated sugar
�" cup corn syrup (light)
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
2 tablespoon powdered sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Equipment You Will Need:
9"x 9" baking pan
Stand electric mixer and bowl
Butter the baking pan, or line it with plastic wrap and butter the plastic wrap.
In the mixing bowl of your stand electric mixer, combine gelatin and the ½ cup of ice-cold water. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes.
While gelatin mixture is soaking, combine sugar, corn syrup and ¼ cup water in a saucepan over high heat. Stirring constantly, bring mixture to a boil, and let it boil for one to two minutes. Pour the boiling sugar syrup into the gelatin mix in the mixer bowl, add the vanilla bean paste and immediately begin beating on high speed. Beat the mixture for 12 to 15 minutes, until the marshmallow mixture is thick and light, having doubled to tripled in size.
Butter your hands and a spatula. Scoop the marshmallow mixture into the pan, scraping the bowl and spreading the marshmallow evenly in the pan.
Wash your hands. Combine the powdered sugar and cornstarch in a bowl and mix well. Sprinkle a light layer of the powdered sugar and cornstarch over the top of the marshmallows. Leave the pan out, uncovered, overnight.
In the morning, flip the marshmallows out of the pan and onto a cutting board coated with powdered sugar. Using a pair of kitchen shears, cut the marshmallows into the desired size, and roll each individual marshmallow in the bowl of cornstarch and powdered sugar. Store for up to one month in an airtight container.
Variations of Gourmet Marshmallows
Try the following variations for some fun marshmallow treats:
Coconut Marshmallows: Instead of dusting marshmallow crème with cornstarch and powdered sugar (after spreading it in the pan), top it with a layer of toasted coconut. Press the coconut into the marshmallow, and then let it dry overnight. Cut into squares the next morning, and roll the other sides of the marshmallows in the powdered sugar and cornstarch mixture.
Chocolate Marshmallows: Try dusting the marshmallows in cocoa powder instead of cornstarch and powdered sugar for an easy and attractive chocolate marshmallow recipe. Or, you can dip your vanilla marshmallows in melted chocolate (it's best to freeze them first and use barely melted chocolate) for chocolate-covered marshmallows.
Pink Marshmallows: Simply add in red food coloring at the end of the mixing time. For fun, use peppermint extract instead of vanilla bean paste for peppermint marshmallows.
Caramel Marshmallows: Try freezing and dipping vanilla marshmallows in melted caramel, and then roll them in nuts.
Vegetarian Marshmallows: Substitute agar for the gelatin in this recipe for a vegan marshmallow recipe. You will need to dissolve the agar in hot water for the recipe to work.
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