Fluffy Vanilla Marshmallows
If I had to choose my favourite type of candy, it would be marshmallows, no doubt about it. You will always find at least one bag of these soft, fluffy and totally addictive clouds of joy in my baking cupboard…that’s if I haven’t eaten them before I’ve used them in one recipe or another.
Ever since I made my first batch of these wonderful squishy pillows a few years ago, they’ve become a Christmas staple in my family. I love to give homemade gifts and a bag of my homemade vanilla marshmallows always goes down well.
They are amazing toasted, make incredible s’mores and are a wonderful addition to hot chocolate. The other great thing about these marshmallows is that you can be as creative as you want with flavours and colours – the sky’s the limit!
Now there are a few essential bits of kit you’ll need to make these marshmallows, starting with a stand mixer. The mixture needs to be whipped at a high speed for a long time, so a decent stand mixer is a must. You’re also going to need a sugar thermometer to accurately measure the temperature of your sugar syrup, a couple of silicone spatulas and a large square baking tin.
It’s a long recipe, I know, but don’t be put off by the number of steps. Once you’ve got the hang out it, you’ll be making marshmallows quickly and easily.
INGREDIENTS
340g granulated sugar
48g unflavoured gelatine powder
280g liquid glucose
1/2tsp salt
5tsp vanilla extract
150g icing sugar
150g corn flour
METHOD
- In a small bowl, mix the powdered gelatine with 120ml cold water and let it bloom for 5-10 minutes (it should resemble very grainy jelly). Melt in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir to make sure there are no lumps. Pour the gelatine into the bowl of a stand mixer along with half of the liquid glucose and mix on a low speed using a whisk attachment.
- To make the sugar syrup, pour the sugar, salt and remaining liquid glucose into a small saucepan with 240ml cold water. Using a thermometer as a guide, heat the syrup to between 112°C-115°C.
- Once the syrup reaches the right temperature, remove the thermometer and slowly pour into the bowl of your stand mixer. Turn the mixer up to a medium-high speed and leave to run for 5 minutes.
- Once the 5 minutes are up, the mixture should have doubled in size and started to turn white. Turn the speed up again as high as it will go and leave to mix for 10 minutes.
- It’s time to prepare your tin! Grease a deep 10×10 inch baking tin, line with cling film and grease again with a flavourless oil (I like to use Frylight cooking spray). Once that’s done, sift the icing sugar and corn flour into a bowl and whisk to combine.
- At this stage, the marshmallow mixture should be able to hold its shape but if it’s still too thin and easily drops off the whisk, don’t panic – keep whisking and check it every couple of minutes until you get a long, thick drip shape. Add the vanilla and mix on high speed for another two minutes until it’s fully incorporated.
- Lightly grease a silicone spatula with oil and scrape your marshmallow mixture into your prepared tin. You will need to act fast as the marshmallow will immediately begin to set, and keep in mind that it’s very sticky. Spread the mixture into the corners of the tin and smooth the top, then sprinkle with a handful of your icing sugar/corn flour mixture. Leave the marshmallow to set at room temperature for at least 6 hours (preferably overnight).
- Turn the marshmallows out of the tin onto a surface dusted with icing sugar and corn flour. Cutting the marshmallows can be a challenge because they’re so sticky, so it’s best to soak a sharp knife in boiling water for a few minutes before slicing them into pieces. Pop the marshmallows into a bowl with the remaining icing sugar and corn flour and toss them around until they’re fully coated. Sift to get rid of any excess and enjoy!
What flavours have you experimented with? Let me know in the comments!
