Yes, you can buy marshmallows, but the grocery store confection is a very distant cousin from the bouncy, chewy, and melt-in-your-mouth homemade marshmallow. No longer an afterthought in a mug of hot chocolate, these iconic sweets are perfect for gifts, snacks, and as additions to S’mores desserts, and YES, hot chocolate.
Vanilla Bean Marshmallows
Servings
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unflavored gelatin powder we prefer fish gelatin for this recipe
- 1¼ cups water room temperature
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean scraped
- 1¼ cup sugar cane syrup such as Lyle’s Golden Syrup, or corn syrup
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup cornstarch or tapioca starch
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Grease a 9- x 13-inch baking pan or other jelly-roll pan.
- Place half cup water in the mixing bowl for a stand mixer and sprinkle gelatin over the water. Don’t dump the gelatin as this will cause dry spots and clumps. Set aside.
- Simmer three-quarter cup water, granulated sugar, scraped vanilla bean, and cane syrup or corn syrup over medium heat. Cover the pan for 2 minutes once the mixture is at a boil so the steam can wash the sides and prevent crystallization.
- Continue boiling until a candy thermometer, clipped to the side of the saucepan, registers 247°F to 250°F (firm ball stage). Turn off the heat.
- With the mixer on low fitted with the whisk attachment, pour hot sugar syrup onto bloomed gelatin. Drape a towel over the front of the mixer as you increase the speed to high, to prevent splatters. Once the mixture has started to thicken, you can remove the towel.
- Add salt and continue whipping for about 10 minutes or until the mixture resembles thick soft serve ice cream and the bottom of the mixing bowl is cool to the touch.
- Scrape the marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly with your hands (lightly grease your hands so the marshmallows don’t stick) or a greased spatula.
- Combine the powdered sugar and cornstarch in a bowl and lightly sprinkle on top of the marshmallows, reserve the remaining powdered sugar mixture for cutting the marshmallows. Allow the marshmallows to sit, uncovered for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Cut the marshmallows using a knife, pizza cutter or cookie cutters dipped in powdered sugar mix. Toss each marshmallow to coat in the powdered sugar mix and store at room temperature in a covered container for up to 2 weeks.
Well, there is no place in the recipe where you add the salt but two places where you add scraped vanilla.