HOME MADE MARSHMALLOWS

 

Ahhhh so that's how they do it. They pipe the fluffy mixture through long tubes and cut its tubular shape into equal pieces. I have always wondered how they do it. 

And now I need to brush my teeth. And gargle my throat out. With salted water. That was exceedingly sweet. Not the marshmallow itself but from the tons of icing sugar I used to coat it with. To prevent it from sticking to everything it came into contact with ~ fingers, knife, mini paper cases, table, tongue, throat and teeth.

These, my friends, are not to be made in some crazy hot, humid, tropical peninsula that starts with the letter M, that sits right smack on the equator. If anyone around here has been wholly successful in making marshmallows...

that had set perfectly, 
that did not shimmer with wetness as it set, 
that did not require a crazy coating of icing sugar, 
that did not cling and stretch as you pulled your fingers away from it, 
that you could 'lift' out, 
I would like to know. 

In the words of my grandkids these were globby.

I will never make these again unless I relocate to the land of dry and cold, like the North Pole, for example. But buy them I will. Yes ma'am. Because I do so love marshmallows.

This is a recipe I had gotten from the Hungry Mouse. It is a good recipe if you don't live with me. And I am completely envious when I see hers. I was never able to "lift it off " the tray. *sob*

This is also my second attempt at making it. My first attempt was a complete failure because I had failed to whip the fluff for a full twenty minutes. Hence it never firmed up and solidified. At all. Apparently whipping the mixture thickens the marshmallow fluff and firms it up. A lot.

However I am quite convinced that humidity is marshmallow's public enemy number one as well. Marshmallow Making and Malaysia? Uh uh. So not friends. But you know...  maybe its just me. In denial I live not.

The recipe ~ from The Hungry Mouse ~

5 T unflavoured gelatin

2 cups cold water (1 cup for the gelatin and 1 cup for the sugar syrup)

3 cups granulated sugar

2 cups light corn syrup

1/2 tsp salt

4 T vanilla extract

powdered sugar, (TONS) for dusting

Put 1 cup of cold water in the bowl of your mixer. Add the gelatin to the water. Give it a stir to combine the gelatin and water well and let it sit until it turns into a sandy mass. It will have the consistency of soft wet sand. That's perfectly fine.

Let the gelatin sit like that for about 30 minutes while you prepare the pans and boil the syrup.

Prep your pans. I used a 12 by 12 inch pan. Dust it generously with powdered sugar over the sink to alleviate mess on your work top. Set aside.

Pour a cup of cold water into a deep 5 quart pot. you need a deep pot for this because the syrup will boil and bubble at the beginning. Turn on a high heat. Toss in the sugar, corn syrup and salt. Stir the mixture to combine well and to melt the sugar. If sugar crystals form on the side brush them down with a wet brush.

Next clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot with out letting the end of the thermometer touch the bottom of the pot but making sure the thermometer is submerged in the sugar syrup. 

Keep the heat on high to bring the mixture to a boil. The mixture will bubble up rapidly at first and then stop. If your pot is deep enough don't worry. 

Boil the sugar until it reaches 244 F or the firm ball stage (which is different from the hard ball stage).  Take it off the heat.

Warning ~ HOT sugar syrup is dangerous. Do be careful when handling. Never let it touch your skin because it will really HURT and burn you. Always use a pair of thick pot holders or oven mitts when handling the pot.

Turn the mixer on with the whisk attachment and beat the gelatin mixture to chunk it up. With the mixer on LOW pour the hot sugar syrup into the gelatin mixture. 

At this point it's going to smell bad because of the gelatin. Don't worry. When all the syrup is in the bowl turn the speed up to medium high. But do this gradually if you do not use a splash guard.

Continue to whip and the mixture will gradually turn opaque and then completely solid white. Beat for a full twenty minutes then add the vanilla extract. Whip for a further 5 minutes. 

The mixture would have increased in volume and thickness and be fluffy and white as snow.

Pour into prepared pan or pans. Dust the tops with powdered sugar (hey! I forgot to do this! Could this perhaps be the cause of all the stickiness?.....Nah I don't think so). Leave the pans uncovered on the counter overnight to set up.

When set cut into squares and roll in more powdered sugar to coat each side. Knock off excess sugar (if you can). Store them in an airtight container.