Homemade Marshmallows

I.  Love.  Marshmallows.

I love marshmallows in hot chocolate, dipped in chocolate fondue or straight out of the bag. I don’t know why, but marshmallows are just so yummy!

So I decided to try my hand at making homemade marshmallows. And what surprised me most was how soft and fluffy these marshmallows were! Yum yum yum! I have come across a few recipes for them out there, but this is a step by step on how I made my marshmallows! Enjoy!

But I am Oh.  So.  Very.  Sad.  I took TONS of photos when I made these so I could show you step by step pictured instructions.  And somehow, somewhere, they have gone M.I.A.  I have done searches on my entire computer...nothing.  It is oh so very very sad.  So you will need to use your imagination on this one.  So sorry.

Ingredients:
3 packets unflavored gelatin
1 cup ice water, divided into ½ cup portions
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup corn starch
⅓ cup powdered sugar

9” x 13" pan
Non-stick spray (Pam)
Candy thermometer

Step 1:

• Empty gelatin packets and ½ cup ice cold water into a stand-mixer bowl (Kitchen Aid or Bosch etc.).
• Mix gently until combined.

Step 2:

• In a small pan on the stove combine the other ½ cup cold water, corn syrup, sugar and salt.
• Stir mixture and bring to a boil.
• Reduce to a simmer and let it remain simmering until it reaches a temperature of 245 degrees Fahrenheit (use your candy thermometer for this.)
• Stir occasionally.
• It may take 20-30 minutes to reach this temperature.
• Remove from heat.

Step 3:

• Run your stand mixer on low speed.
• Slowly add the sugar mixture into the gelatin mixture in your mixer. (I poured my sugar mixture into a smaller container with a spout on it to make it easier.)
• Immediately put your dishes into hot soapy water so that you can get them soaking and clean before it gets too sticky!
• After is it combined, run your mixer on med-high for 12-15 minutes.
• During the last couple of minutes of beating, add the vanilla (and any optional* items below).

Step 4:

• While your mixture is beating, prepare your pan as follows.
• Combine corn starch and powdered sugar in a small bowl.
• Spray 9” x 13” pan (bottom and sides) with non-stick spray (Pam).
• Coat the bottom and sides of pan with the cornstarch and powdered sugar mixture. Don’t skimp on this! The more you use, the easier your marshmallows will come out of your pan! Believe me; I learned this the hard way!
• Tap the excess out and save all cornstarch and powdered sugar mixture.

Step 5:

• When the marshmallows are done mixing, they will be thick and white and similar to the consistency of marshmallow fluff.
• Using a spatula or a spoon, scrape the marshmallow goo into your prepared pan. You won’t get every last little bit out so just do you best. Spraying your spoon or spatula with non-stick spray can help with this.
• Immediately put your mixing bowl and utensils into hot soapy water!
• With your large spoon or spatula, sprayed with non-stick spray, try to even out and smooth out your marshmallow goo as much as possible. It won’t be perfect. Don’t stress too much about it!
• Let the pan sit out at room temperature for about 1 hour.
• Sprinkle the top with your cornstarch and powdered sugar mixture. (Again, save what doesn’t get used!)
• Let it sit overnight.

Step 6:

• Pull your marshmallows out of your pan (this is where you will be happy that you didn’t skimp on non-stick spray or coating your pan with the cornstarch and powdered sugar mixture!
• Use a pizza cutter to cut the marshmallows into squares. Or use cookie cutters to cut out cute marshmallow shapes! Remember, any scrapes left over can be cut into smaller marshmallow pieces!
• After you have cut them into pieces, it will help to roll them in your remaining cornstarch and powdered sugar mixture so that the edges don’t stick together.

*Options:

For Chocolate Marshmallows: add in 3-4 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder when making the marshmallow goo. Also, add a spoonful or two of cocoa to your cornstarch and powdered sugar mixture as well.

Colored Marshmallows: add a few drops of food coloring in during the last few minutes of beating the marshmallow goo.

Flavored Marshmallows: you can add a few drops, maybe even a ½ t of any kind of extract to your marshmallow goo during the last few minutes of beating to give your marshmallows a different flavor. For example, peppermint, lemon (with yellow food coloring), strawberry (with red food coloring), be creative! Any color or flavor could be oh so yummy!

You could also dip these in chocolate for an extra yummy treat!

I packaged some of mine up, added a $5 Starbuck’s gift card and gave them to my daughter’s teachers for birthday gifts! (Their birthdays happen to be just a couple of days apart so this worked out well!) They loved it and one of her teachers is STILL raving about how yummy the marshmallows are! 🙂

Happy Baking and Enjoy!
 

 
(Original Recipe found here, but I have modified it some!)