How To Make Homemade Marshmallows
(Photo: John Cullen)
Vanilla homemade marshmallows recipe
Ingredients
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup cold water
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup warm water
2 7-g envelopes unflavoured gelatin powder
1/4 cup icing sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
Directions:
- Stir granulated sugar with corn syrup, cold water and salt in a small saucepan. Set over high. Bring to a boil, and let boil without stirring for 1 min. Then stir in vanilla. While waiting for syrup to boil, pour warm water into the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment. Sprinkle in gelatin. Let stand 2 min to soften. Line an 8-in. square baking dish with overhanging plastic wrap. Lightly spray with cooking spray.
- Set mixer on high, then pour hot syrup in a stream down the side of the mixer bowl, beating gelatin mixture until it is thick and sticky and white peaks form, about 4 min. Scrape into prepared pan, smoothing top as best you can with an oiled spatula or a metal offset spatula. Let set at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
- Whisk icing sugar with cornstarch in a small bowl. Sift one-third of mixture over top of marshmallow to dust the surface. Turn out onto a cutting board. Discard plastic wrap. Sift half of remaining sugar mixture overtop to dust the surface. Slice into cubes about 1 in. square. Roll each cut marshmallow in remaining sugar mixture until all sides are coated.
Makes 64
Per marshmallow: 17 calories, 4 g carbs, 7 mg sodium.
Switch it up
Cinnamon-Cayenne: Stir 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/8 tsp cayenne into warm water in mixing bowl, then add gelatin. Continue with recipe.
Espresso: Stir 2 tbsp espresso powder into warm water in mixing bowl, then add gelatin. Continue with recipe.
Rosy Almond: Add 5 drops red food colouring and 1/4 tsp almond extract to marshmallow mixture during the last minute of beating. Continue with recipe.
Five ways to use them
Snow-White Icing
Top cupcakes with a marshmallow, then heat in a 350F oven for 3 to 5 min until marshmallow is soft. Remove from oven, then press down gently.
Rocky-Road Fudge
Combine 170 g chopped semi-sweet chocolate with 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium until chocolate is almost melted, 2 min. Stir until melted, then add 2/3 cup coarsely chopped nuts and 1/2 cup chopped marshmallows. Scrape mixture into a 9 × 5-in. loaf pan lined with overhanging plastic wrap. Smooth top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Cut into small squares.
Trail-Mix Bars
Melt 3 tbsp butter with 2 cups chopped marshmallows in a saucepan over medium, stirring often, for 2 min. Stir until smooth, then add 3 cups granola. Scrape mixture into an 8 × 8-in. square baking dish lined with overhanging plastic wrap. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at least 2 hours. Cut into bars.
Marshmallow-Jam Cookies
Spread 1 tsp of your favourite jam (we used strawberry) on a graham cracker. Top with a marshmallow. Drizzle with 1 tbsp melted chocolate.
S'mores!
Nothing says summer quite like the combination of chocolate, toasted marshmallows and graham crackers. If you can't make a campfire, there still are plenty of ways to eat s'mores. Get our best s'mores recipes.
Hot chocolate
Homemade marshmallows are the ultimate topping to homemade hot chocolate. Get our decadent hot chocolate recipe (with six flavour variations!)
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