Marshmallows
Big, soft, fluffy marshmallows are easy to make and fun to eat. Plus, making them at home means no corn syrup or other controversial ingredients!
- Yield: about 40 jumbo marshmallows (depending on size you cut them) 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- butter, for greasing pan
- confectioner's sugar, for dusting
- 2 envelopes of gelatin (or 2 tablespoons)
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 3/4 cup boiling water
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 - 3 teaspoons vanilla extract*
Instructions
- Butter an 8" square** baking dish and line with parchment paper. Butter the bottom and sides of the parchment and dust generously with confectioner's sugar to cover all of the buttered area.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine gelatin and water and mix with the whisk attachment for 1-2 minutes on low, or until the gelatin appears to have dissolved (the mixture may be thickened and look a bit bubbly). Let sit while you prepare the syrup.
- In a medium saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer and set over medium heat, combine boiling water, sugar, and salt. Whisk frequently until the mixture begins to boil (the water will stop boiling once you add the other ingredients).Once boiling, stop whisking and allow to boil for 15-20 minutes, until the candy thermometer reads 236 F. Remove from heat and slowly pour into mixer. Add vanilla.
- Beat the ingredients together at medium speed for 20 minutes. It will start out looking brown from the vanilla and very liquidy but will become thick and white like marshmallow creme and expand a lot.
- Butter a spatula and pour the marshmallow mixture into the prepared dish. Smooth the top with the back of the spatula, starting at one corner and moving up, down, and across the dish in a swirling motion until you reach the opposite corner. Place in the freezer, uncovered, overnight.
- Remove the marshmallows from the freezer and dust the top with confectioner's sugar. Lift the marshmallows out of the dish using the sides of the parchment, and carefully peel the parchment down from the sides of the marshmallows. Butter a pair of kitchen shears and cut the marshmallows into strips, and each strip into cubes (size as desired).
- Dust a surface with confectioner's sugar and coat the remaining sides of the marshmallows (those that have not yet been dusted) in the confectioner's sugar.
- Store marshmallows in an airtight container in the freezer.
Notes
*I used 3 teaspoons (1 tablespoon), and the extract was quite detectable in the flavor of the marshmallows. To make the taste more subtle, I would suggest using less - as little as 1-1/2 teaspoons. Once the marshmallows have been whipped and are ready to set, you can always taste them and whip in extra vanilla if desired.
**For bigger, taller marshmallows, use an 11" x 7" dish.