Homemade Marshmallows




Martha Stewart



For DD's birthday party I made some homemade snowflake marshmallows for party favors. It went great with the party theme and I put them with a bag of cocoa. They were pretty easy to do and really neat. It was amazing watching the sugar and gelatin turning into the fluffy white marshmallow in minutes.  I got this recipe and idea from the Martha Stewart website while searching for some ideas for DD's party.  Here is the recipe below.

Ingredients

• 2 envelopes (each 1 scant tablespoon) unflavored gelatin
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Vegetable-oil cooking spray

Directions

1. Coat a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray; line with parchment paper. Spray parchment; set aside. Pour 1/3 cup cold water into the bowl of an electric mixer. Sprinkle with gelatin; let mixture soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Place sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/3 cup water in a medium saucepan. Cover; bring to a boil. Remove lid; cook, swirling pan occasionally, until syrup reaches 238 degrees (soft-ball stage) on a candy thermometer, about 5 minutes.  
3. With mixer on low speed, whisk gelatin mixture, and slowly pour the syrup in a steady stream down the side of the bowl (to avoid splattering). Gradually raise speed to high; beat until mixture is thick, white, and has almost tripled in volume, about 12 minutes. Add vanilla, and beat 30 seconds to combine.
4. Pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet; smooth with an offset spatula. Let stand at room temperature, uncovered, until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.

        5.   Coat a 1- or 2-inch snowflake-shaped cookie cutter with cooking spray to prevent it from sticking. Cut out as many individual marshmallows as possible; coat cutter with more spray as needed. Use marshmallows immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

Here are some helpful hints for when you make these.

1. When spraying your parchment paper with cooking spray don't be stingy.  You need to spray that sucker down so, the marshmallows won't stick.

2. When cutting out the snowflakes be sure to spray a generous amount of cooking spray onto the cookie cutter and you will have to reapply it frequently.  If you don't then the marshmallow will stick to the cookie cutter.

3.  When cutting out the snowflakes wiggle the cookie cutter a bit.  It seems to get the marshmallow out better.

4.  If you want to just remove the snowflakes off the sheet with your hands once you have cut them be sure to spray your hands with the cooking spray.  This will prevent your hands from sticking to the marshmallow.

It seems that all these hints are about the cooking spray.  But, I am telling you guys that it is a must for when you are making these and again, don't be stingy with the spray.

 

Here is a pic of the finished product. 

-L-