Homemade Marshmallows

Hey friends!  I made marshmallows--yes, I did!  And, they turned out, too!  This was not the post I had intended on putting up today, I cut apart my coffee sack, but the project isn't completed, yet, so hang in there, if you want to get out of my kitchen!  I had seen this recipe awhile ago, and for some reason decided that with the long weekend, I needed (as if one needs to make marshmallows) to give it a go.  The recipe is from Smitten Kitchen.

The part of the recipe I was concerned about, was the part that involved a candy thermometer.  While I know my way around the kitchen, I seem not to have good luck using a thermometer.  I decided to buy a new one--actually, I couldn't find my old one--but, I think that one was a hand-me-down.  I was determined to buy a "good" one, but all's Walmart had was a cheapy.  I bought it, anyway.

(Note:  I "inherited" my mixer from my mom, when she moved into her condo.  Yea!)

Everything went super smoothly (no pun intended).  The large picture (above, right) shows the sugar mixing and the egg whites already beaten in the corner.  The top left photo is after everything is mixed together and ready to be poured into the pan.  At this point, Deb said she ran into extreme stickiness and cautioned not to touch the batter or use a spatula to get the remaining marshmallow goo out of the mixer bowl.  I did not have that problem and everything went into my 9x13 pan without a hitch.  They turn out more spongy and less elastic than store bought marshmallows.  (For step by step photos, head over to Smitten Kitchen.)

These turned out so well and they just amuse and entertain me by the very fact I was actually able to pull the recipe off.  Okay, now what might one do with them?  Give a jar to your sweetie pie for Valentine's Day?  I think these would be oh-so-great with a half jar cocoa mix and the other half homemade 'mallows.

Heidi's Cottage - Pinterest

Packed in a s'more kit--Ooo, maybe I should try making graham crackers, next.

I'm always up for dipping something into melted chocolate.  How 'bout you?

What would a gift be without some tags?  You can see I used my tag punch on red cardstock and some vintage newspaper scrapbook paper.  Then, I cut the heart out of the newspaper print to let the red peek through.

Fluffy Marshmallow Recipe
from Smitten Kitchen
(free printable copy here)

About 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 1/2 envelopes (2 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
1 cup cold water, divided
2 cups granulated sugar (cane sugar worked just fine)
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg whites or reconstituted powdered egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla (alternately: 1/2 of a scraped vanilla bean, 2 teaspoons almond or mint extract or maybe even some food coloring for tinting)

Oil bottom and sides of a 13- by 9- by 2-inch rectangular metal baking pan (I used glass) and dust bottom and sides with confectioners’ sugar.

In bowl of a standing electric mixer or in a large bowl sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold cold water, and let stand to soften.

In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook granulated sugar, corn syrup, second 1/2 cup of cold water, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240°F, about 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.

With standing or a hand-held electric mixer beat mixture on high speed until white, thick, and nearly tripled in volume, about six minutes if using standing mixer or about 10 minutes if using hand-held mixer. (Some reviewers felt this took even longer with a hand mixer, but still eventually whipped up nicely.)

In separate medium bowl with cleaned beaters beat egg whites (or reconstituted powdered whites) until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat whites and vanilla (or your choice of flavoring) into sugar mixture until just combined. Pour mixture into baking pan and don’t fret if you don’t get it all out (learning from my mess of a first round). Sift 1/4 cup confectioners sugar evenly over top. Chill marshmallow, uncovered, until firm, at least three hours, and up to one day.

Run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board. Lifting up one corner of inverted pan, with fingers loosen marshmallow and ease onto cutting board. With a large knife trim edges of marshmallow and cut marshmallow into roughly one-inch cubes. (An oiled pizza cutter works well here too.) Sift remaining confectioners’ sugar back into your now-empty baking pan, and roll the marshmallows through it, on all six sides, before shaking off the excess and packing them away.

Do ahead: Marshmallows keep in an airtight container at cool room temperature one week.

No.  Explanation.  Necessary!