Marshmallows - Plain, Strawberry or Peanut Butter

Since this is the time of year for hot chocolate, I’m on a marshmallow kick right now. Caramel or strawberry or peanut butter or… whatever. 

Beth sent me a website:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/16/marshmallow-recipes-homemade-easy_n_2302009.html

with some of the most fabulous marshmallow recipes. I know I’ve already posted a blog about marshmallows and hot chocolate, but I couldn’t help myself and had to make some of these. If you have a Kitchen Aid mixer, homemade marshmallows are incredibly easy to make. The hardest part is cutting them up and not eating them all.  

There is absolutely no comparison with homemade and the so-called jet-puffed. The ones you buy in the store are like pieces of Styrofoam compared to these little homemade pillows of sweetness and flavor. You are only limited by your imagination as you make these. 

You can find lots of recipes that include egg whites – they make the marshmallows even fluffier – but I prefer this basic recipe without the egg whites. 

Here’s the basic recipe for plain vanilla marshmallows. 

Homemade Marshmallows

.75-oz unflavored gelatin (3 envelopes of Knox gelatin)

½ cup cold water

2 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup light corn syrup

¼ cup water

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract (or other flavor extract)

Confectioners’ sugar  

Line 9 x 9-inch or 8 x 8-inch pan (for thick marshmallows) or a 9x13-inch (for thinner marshmallows) 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 ¼ 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. 

Grease your hands and a rubber or silicone scraper with neutral oil and transfer marshmallow into the prepared pan. 

Use your greased hands to press the marshmallow into the pan evenly.  Take another piece of lightly oiled plastic wrap and press lightly on top of the marshmallow, creating a seal. Let mixture sit in the refrigerator for a few hours, or overnight, until cooled and firmly set. 

Sprinkle a cutting surface very generously with confectioner’s sugar. 

Remove marshmallow from pan and lay on top of the sugar.  Dust the top generously with sugar as well.  Use a large, sharp knife to cut into squares. 

Or use a cookie cutter to cut into shapes. Separate pieces and toss to coat all surfaces with the sugar.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

Now, let’s get creative.  

Strawberry Marshmallows:

Add ½ cup of strawberry purée (throw some strawberries in the blender and purée until smooth) with the cold water and gelatin before you pour on the sugar syrup. Proceed as usual.  

Can I just say these are some of the best marshmallows ever? 

Peanut Butter Marshmallows:

These aren’t perfected yet; I added the peanut butter at the first with the cold water and gelatin. They were ok, but...

They came out not as fluffy. When I make them again – and I WILL make them again – I’ll add 1/2 cup warm peanut butter at the end when I add the vanilla.  

And in a cup of hot chocolate, these are, well, words fail me… because I’m drinking my hot chocolate.