Boredom Reversal Candy Challenge: Homemade Marshmallows

Wednesday, November 9 Marshmallows

Well after searching through a millions of sites and getting the original inspiration from Martha Stewart, I decided I hated her recipe for peppermint marshmallows BUT, I still really wanted to make them. Having this idea stuck in my head already, I searched out for better recipes than hers. I ended up using a combined effort from Cooking for Engineers AND Joy of Baking Website.

I set out to Shaw’s grocery store to buy my ingredients. A * next to the item means I already had it in the house.

Ingredients:

1 cup cold water*
3 - 1/4 ounce envelopes unflavored gelatin ($1.87 for a 4 pack)
2 cups granulated white sugar ($1.49)
1 cup light corn syrup ($2.79 for a 16 oz. bottle)
1/4 teaspoon salt*
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract*
Confectioners Sugar for dusting ($1.49 for a 1# box)

Tools:

Candy Thermometer
Wood Spoon
Rubber Spatula
5 quart mixer (or a hand mixer but this was safer)
2 quart sauce pan

Directions:

Lightly spray with a non stick vegetable spray, the bottom of a 13x9x2 glass baking pan. Then sift about 3 tablespoons of confectioners' sugar onto the bottom of the pan.

Place 1/2 cup cold water into the bowl of your electric mixer that is fitted with a paddle attachment (The directions say you can use a whisk but this being plastic made it a million times easier to clean, I also started with the whisk and got annoyed, paddle was happier). Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let stand until gelatin softens, about 10 minutes. (And yes it will bubble or “bloom”)

Meanwhile, in a heavy two quart saucepan, place the sugar, corn syrup and remaining 1/2 cup cold water. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil.

Cover the saucepan with a lid and let boil for about three minutes to allow any sugar crystals to dissolve from the sides of the saucepan. Remove the lid and attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Increase heat to high and boil, without stirring, until the syrup reaches 240 degrees F about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

With mixer running at low speed, slowly pour the hot syrup into the gelatin mixture in a thin stream down the side of the bowl (If your mixer came with a splash guard, NOW is the time to use it! 240 degree sugar burns can seriously damage any where it hits on your body, I’ve seen this happen at Culinary School).

Gradually increase the speed to high and beat until mixture has tripled in volume and is very thick and stiff, about 10 minutes (looks like thick marshmallow cream). Add vanilla extract and salt, and beat to combine, about 30 seconds longer.

Scrape marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan and spread with a damp rubber spatula (I kept a cup of hot water near by to dip the spatula in if it got too messy). The mixture is very sticky so just smooth it out as best as you can.

Dust the top of the marshmallow with another 3 tablespoons of confectioners' sugar and let stand, uncovered, at room temperature until set, about 12 hours.

For Tomorrow (November 10, 2011)

****Remove the marshmallow from the pan by first running a small sharp knife around the edge of the marshmallow to loosen it from the pan. Invert the pan onto a large cutting board that has been dusted with confectioners' sugar. You might have to use your fingers to help loosen the marshmallow from the pan. Peel off the parchment paper (the marshmallow will be sticky) and dust the top of the marshmallow with confectioners' sugar. Cut the marshmallow into squares using clean kitchen scissors, a pizza roller or a sharp knife. Dip the cut sides of the marshmallows in additional confectioners' sugar. Shake off excess sugar and store the marshmallows in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to two weeks.****

This is as far as I got. I took a few photos but I’m dying to try these. Unfortunately, it will have to wait until tomorrow as they need to set. I will post pictures as soon as I can so long as my husband doesn’t attack them while I’m at work tomorrow!

These were really simple surprisingly to make so far. Very hot, so you need to be patient and careful. Definitely not a project for children (I definitely don’t recommend making candy with them any time hot sugar is involved). They smelt weird until I added the vanilla then they started to smell amazing. I of course licked the spoon after I was done and it tasted just like FLUFF! I was so excited!

However, cleaning is not something anyone online warns you about. It stinks. Hard sugar (think rock candy or toffee) is impossible to scrub out with a sponge. I actually boiled soapy water and then poured out the sugar that stuck to the pot. The fluff or marshmallow crème mixture was easier and just melted away with very hot tap water. Be patient it’s worth it to keep your pots this clean and to wash up right away. I’m usually lazy and would do it the next day but with the hard sugar that would be miserable.

Take the extra effort and do it sooner rather than later! I will be eager to post the results tomorrow and get ready to start on my next candy project. I can’t wait to decide tonight! Thanks for following along and be sure to post especially if you’ve tried this or another recipe, I’d love to hear all about it!

Total Cost: $7.65 approximately
Total Time from Start to Finish (including clean up): 1 hour 15 minutes with "setting" time 13 hours 15 minutes

Added November 10, 2011 at 4:47pm:

Well I finished the marshmallows and they came out absolutely amazing! I just wanted to add a few photos of them. They taste great, have the perfect texture and smell, and were really easy to clean up and take out of the container. This is definitely something I would make again and encourage people to make themselves! I’m brining some to my family and to my second job tonight for some honest taste testers! I hope you enjoy making them too!