Every year, around this time, we make our homemade marshmallow recipe and this year was no different. Last night as everyone huddled around our cosy fire for our weekly house church meeting, they sipped cups of hot cocoa, loaded with fluffy marshmallows on top. Those who braved the snow and were able to gather together were well rewarded 🙂 These marshmallows are ones I look forward to sharing with friends every winter.
This is an old recipe, that I re-photographed this year and felt it deserved to be re-published! Marshmallows can never get too much attention, right?! Some years I made these as gifts and other years we eat most of the batch ourselves. Luckily, this year we had enough gathering to share them with many friends. And if you’re forgoing most sweets after the holidays (like we are) a couple of these marshmallows ontop of pure drinking chocolate will help curb the sweet craving without too much guilt. What’s winter without hot chocolate and marshmallows anyway??!
Another treat we make most years is homemade hot chocolate, a recipe passed down to me from my mom and grandmother. We alternate between this sweet cocoa and our favorite brand of drinking chocolate, Mezzo. The marmallows are classic vanilla flavored but the varieties you cold make with just slight alterations are limitless… almond, cinnamon, vanilla bean, ginger, peppermint…
What do you drink to warm up this time of year?!
Ingredients
- 3 packages unflavored gelatin (4 packets come in 1 box)
- 1 cup ice cold water, divided in half
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- Nonstick spray
Instructions
- Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer set up with the whisk attachment along with 1/2 cup of the water.
- In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.
- Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 10 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping. While the mixture is whipping prepare the pan as follows.
- Combine the confectioners’ sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.
- When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan or spray a piece of parchment paper and press down and smooth out the top of the marshmallows. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
- Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners’ sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
an Alton Brown Recipe posted on Make and Takes
Since this is an old recipe (originally posted in December of 2009!), I thought I would leave the old photo up just for curiosity sake… (it’s not too aweful at least!)
I'm so glad the recipe worked out for you! I think it's a GREAT one…easy and comes out so nicely. love the picture of the plate of marshmallows! 🙂
Homemade marshmallows are just about the only marshmallows I eat!
What a timely post, I actually was just thinking that I needed to get some marshmallows for New Years Eve dinner. I think this will be much more fun! Thanks for the idea.
They are so beautiful and puffy! Look like little heavenly pillows!
i love making marshmallows and yours are so pretty!!!
Happy New Year!
Becky your marshmallows look perfect! I've been making organic marshmallows this season and so can appreciate the perfect little squares you have. Happy New Year!!
Normally I'm not a marshmallow fan, but yours look FANTASTIC! I just found out about your blog from Justin Barnard, and couldn't be happier!
I like mock gluwhein, http://nachista.blogspot.com/search/label/Mock%20Gluhwein
It does have a little bit of added sugar, but aside from that it is relatively healthy, so I feel better drinking it on a regular basis than I would hot chocolate.
Oh my gosh, homemade marshmallows are a million times better than the store bought ones! I like the idea of adding vanilla bean to them.
Every year I say I’m going to change them up with a new flavor but I can’t seem to make anything but these classic ones! Thanks for stopping by my blog Lori!
I really should get over my marshmallow phobia. (I had a disastrous time making them ONCE.)
I love pure hot chocolate! And I’ll have to whip up a batch of these tasty ‘mallows to put on top.
I have to ask, where did you get that sweet cutting board?
You must try Mezzo drinking chocolate if you like pure hot chocolate and the little cutting board is from Red Maple Run – http://www.etsy.com/shop/redmaplerun. http://www.mezzochocolate.com/~mezzocho/
Enjoy!