Marshmallow

Homemade marshmallows are soft, airy confections made by whipping gelatin with hot sugar syrup. They can be cut into squares, served with hot chocolate, toasted, or used in desserts.

Ingredients

• 20 g powdered gelatin
• 120 ml cold water, divided
• 300 g granulated sugar
• 120 ml light corn syrup or glucose syrup
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 50 g confectioners’ sugar
• 30 g cornstarch
• Neutral oil for the pan

Method

1. Lightly oil a square baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
2. Combine the confectioners’ sugar and cornstarch. Dust part of this mixture over the lined pan.
3. Place half of the cold water in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over it and leave it to bloom for about 10 minutes.
4. Combine the granulated sugar, syrup, salt, and remaining water in a saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then boil without stirring until the syrup reaches 115–118°C.
5. Carefully pour the hot syrup into the bloomed gelatin while mixing on low speed. Gradually increase to high speed and whip for 8–12 minutes, until the mixture becomes thick, glossy, and nearly tripled in volume.
6. Mix in the vanilla, then immediately spread the marshmallow mixture in the prepared pan with a lightly oiled spatula.
7. Dust the surface with more of the sugar and cornstarch mixture. Leave uncovered at room temperature for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
8. Turn the slab onto a dusted surface, cut it into squares, and coat every side to prevent sticking.

Tips

• Use caution when handling the hot sugar syrup, as it can cause severe burns.
• A candy thermometer provides the most reliable texture.
• For clean cuts, lightly oil the knife or kitchen scissors between slices.
• Replace vanilla with another food-safe extract, or add a small amount of coloring during the final minute of whipping.
• Store the marshmallows in an airtight container at room temperature with a little extra coating mixture between the layers.