Homemade Marshmallows EN

Never say never.

For years I was making fun of marshmallows and I always wondered how people like these sweets!

However, I also wanted to make them when I saw how they were made.

Due to the pandemic we have been staying at home a lot lately and I finally found the time to cook them just before Christmas.

Surprise!! Homemade marshmallows have nothing to do with what is sold at least in Greece! I liked them as they are but the revelation came when we baked them in the fireplace! It was the perfect meringue without egg!!

Since then I always have these sweets in a jar near the fireplace!!

For this recipe you will need a cooking thermometer and a large mixer with a metal bowl.

If you have these two tools I suggest you make these delicious sweets and enjoy them.

Ingredients:

420 g sugar

1/4 cup glucose

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup water for gelatin

21.6 g gelatin powder or sheets

a pinch of salt

3  teaspoons vanilla extract

For the icing mixture:

1 cup icing sugar

1/2 cup corn flour

Rub a Pyrex 24 x 32cm with shortening or butter, place a baking paper sheet on it and rub with butter  again (marshmallows are quite sticky).

Put the water (1/2 cup) in a small pot and add the gelatin in to be moisten for 5 '. If you use gelatin sheets you must first put them in cold water for at least 5', drain them a little with your hands and transfer them to the pot with 1/2 cup of water.

Put the sugar, glucose and water in a small pot with a heavy bottom. Stir a little with a spoon, and heat to boiling point. Once it boils, cover with the lid and continue cooking for 2'. We do this to melt all the sugar and not leave any crystals in the caramel. When the two minutes have passed, check and if you see crystals, leave it for 1' more.

Apply the thermometer to the pot and remove the pot from the heat as soon as it reaches 242 to 245° F, 116 to 118° C.

At the same time, heat the gelatin until it melts. It needs stirring and medium heat.

When the temperature of the caramel reaches the desired temperature take it off the fire. Put the melted gelatin in the mixer bowl. Put the whisk attachment to your mixer.

Start the mixer on low speed and slowly add the caramel to the gelatin.

Increase the speed of the mixer as much as the mixture allows. Add the salt and vanilla. It will start to get cold and fluffy. You have to beat it at maximum speed.

The mixture should be tripled and lukewarm.

When it is ready, spread it on the pyrex with a spoon (it sticks a lot). Sieve icing mixture over the top of the marshmallow and allow the marshmallow to set for at least 6 hours.

When it is firm, turn the set marshmallow out onto a work surface dusted with icing mixture.

Cut into squares and make sure the freshly cut sides are well dusted with the icing mixture because otherwise the marshmallows will stick together.

Store them in a jar with a lid for a long time.