Homemade Marshmallows

It's that time of year again:  marshmallow-making time!  I recently made a batch of peppermint marshmallows which are always good.  Then I decided to try my hand at making chai marshmallows.  I follow the Martha Stewart recipes and always make a double batch--I figure if I'm goint o go through the work of making marshmallows, I should just go ahead and make a bunch.  They keep pretty well too.

Peppermint Marshmallows

Makes about 16

Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
3 (1/4-ounce) packages unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
Confectioners' sugar, sifted, for coating

Directions:

1.  Lightly spray a 9-by-9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Line pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides; set aside.

2.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water; let stand for 10 minutes. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water. Place saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil; boil rapidly for 1 minute (until the candy thermometer reads 238).

This is really hot and really sticky when it's 238 degrees, so be extra careful.

3.  Remove from heat, and, with the mixer on high, slowly pour the boiling syrup down the side of the mixer bowl into gelatin mixture. Add salt and continue mixing for 12 minutes.

4.  Add peppermint extract and mix until well combined. Spray a rubber spatula or your hands with cooking spray. Spread gelatin mixture evenly into pan using prepared spatula or your hands. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place, spray side down, on top of marshmallows. Let stand for 2 hours.

5.  Carefully remove marshmallows from pan. Remove all plastic wrap and discard. Cut marshmallows into 2-inch squares using a sprayed a sharp knife. Place confectioners' sugar in a large bowl. Working in batches, add marshmallows to bowl and toss to coat. Marshmallows can be stored in an airtight container up to 3 days.

 

 

Chai Marshmallows

(Using the Martha Stewart Vanilla Marshmallow recipe as a base)

Makes about 16

Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
3 (1/4-ounce) packages unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
5 chai teabags
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, plus 1 vanilla bean, scraped
Confectioners' sugar, sifted, for coating

Directions:

My notes:  Before beginning, make a super concentrated chai tea to flavor the marshmallows.  To do this, steep teabags in boiling water for about 5 minutes then remove the teabags and set the tea in the refrigerator to cool.  When I made this, I had doubled the marshmallow recipe and tried using 15 bags of chai.  I think they turned out a bit too chai-y (there I go again making up words!) and so I think 5 teabags for one batch of marshmallows would be fine.

Here's what 15 bags of chai looks like together, by the way.

Extra super concentrated chai.  Mmmmm...yummers.

1.  Lightly spray a 9-by-9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Line pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides; set aside.

2.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water tea; let stand for 10 minutes. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water. Place saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil; boil rapidly for 1 minute (238 degrees).

This is what the chai concentrate looks like with gelatin added.  I promise it gets better from here.

3.  Remove from heat, and, with the mixer on high, slowly pour the boiling syrup down the side of the mixer bowl into gelatin mixture. Add salt and continue mixing for 12 minutes.

4.  Add vanilla extract and vanilla bean seeds; mix until well combined. Spray a rubber spatula or your hands with cooking spray. Spread gelatin mixture evenly into pan using prepared spatula or your hands. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place, spray side down, on top of marshmallows. Let stand for 2 hours.

5.  Carefully remove marshmallows from pan. Remove all plastic wrap and discard. Cut marshmallows into 2-inch squares using a sprayed sharp knife. Place confectioners' sugar in a large bowl. Working in batches, add marshmallows to bowl and toss to coat. Marshmallows can be stored in an airtight container up to 3 days.

I am by no means a tidy cook (duh).

Both versions are excellent in dark sipping chocolate.  Coating the marshmallows in chocolate also proves to be quite tasty, but I've yet to really master this art yet.  More research is needed.

Anyway, if you've never made marshmallows before, I highly recommend it.  It's a lot of fun (and a bit messy) and the results are totally different than what you buy in the store.